My Mesmerizing Mirage
by crystal-mist
Summary: Betrothed at birth, Shun and Alice had come to accept their engagement. However, Shun moved away. Now, he is back to reclaim his bride. What changes await Alice? More importantly, will she fall in love with him again despite his attitude?
1. Chapter 1

**Okay so here is my new story…. And as per the votes it will be called "My Mesmerizing Mirage" and not the other title. **

**Summary—Betrothed at birth, Shun and Alice had come to accept their engagement. However, Shun moved away. Now, he is back to reclaim his bride. What changes await Alice? More importantly, will she fall in love with him again despite his attitude?**

**Thanks to all those kind enough who took the time to vote. And thanks for choosing this link and now here is the first chapter of the story…**

**My ****Mesmerizing**** Mirage**

**crystal-mist**

**Chapter 1.**

**Who's that guy?**

Tick tock tick tock tick tock… Alice Gehabich wondered exactly why the needle of the clock was taking extra long to venture around its circular path. The whole concept was simple enough; then why was it so sluggishly slow?

The tiring monotonic drone of the teacher filled her eardrums as she half-glared at the wall-clock.

"Miss Gehabich…Pay attention to class." commanded the teacher.

Alice's chocolate eyes widened. "Y...yes madam!" she exclaimed as stood up from her seat abruptly.

The room was instantaneously filled with the chuckles of her classmates. She blushed and sheepishly sank back into her chair.

She shifted her attention to the blackboard which was now filled with sprawls of extremely tiny handwriting. Upon realizing that she couldn't complete copying all of it into her notebook she conceded defeat and planned on borrowing either Runo's or Joe's notes.

And soon, the metallic clang of the bell sounded through the speaker. The lecturer left and all the students stood up and dispersed almost at once.

Alice sighed as she made her way to her best friend Runo.

Runo smiled at her. "Spaced out again, were we?" she questioned smiling.

Julie soon joined the both of them. "Hey guys…So Alice, are you still planning on joining the literary club?" she asked.

Alice nodded at the silver-haired girl. "That's right. I've already submitted the form and everything."

Julie sighed in regret. "Aw, I thought that you'd be able to join the drama club… Now, I'll have to be content with Runo."

"What do you mean by THAT Ju?" stormed Runo.

"Hey girls, what's up?" came a male voice from their right.

Joe, Baron and Dan soon joined their discussion of clubs. They sat down for lunch and the conversation was highlighted with randomness. Being university students they had proved to be extremely fickle.

After the last class had ended the students made their way to their respective clubrooms.

Somehow Runo ended up being persuaded by Julie to join the drama club. Alice and Joe were in the literary club. Dan was in one of the sports clubs with Baron.

Alice and Joe were climbing the stairs at a lethargic pace.

They reached the clubroom only to find it empty. Alice placed her bag on one of the tables and made her way to one of the book shelves. Her brown eyes scanned the titles and finally picked up a book with a purple cover.

Joe sat down on a chair positioned beside her and the both of them started reading their respective books.

"Joe, what's the story about?" she asked.

"Well, it's a bit too orthodox in my opinion. You know the kind of stories where the protagonists were engaged right from birth and their struggle to get around their engagement and so on. The time for such arranged marriages is over…It's nothing but a thing from the past nowadays."

"Hm…" Alice found it a bit absurd that Joe was reading such a book. Not only was he a guy but he normally had this fancy for 'extreme' science fiction.

What's more, his perception of the modern families was incorrect. She of all people knew **that** for a fact. Why? Because she herself was betrothed right at birth.

Ever since she could remember, she had been told **clearly **who she was to marry in the future. And this engagement hadn't particularly bothered her. The prospect of not being able to fall in love freely did not scare her. That was however until she was seventeen.

She realized just how important and just how adventurous it was to search for your second half by yourself. It seemed so intriguingly enigmatic. Besides, it had been eight years since she had last seen her 'fiancé'. God knew if he were still alive.

She had gone on a few dates since then, but nothing too serious. Not even a first kiss.

On the romantic sphere her score was a big huge whopping zero. Who in this world would not have experienced a single kiss at the age of twenty? Pathetic!

Joe raised an eyebrow at her. "You seem a bit…distracted."

She shrugged her shoulders. "Not really." She murmured as she sat back in her chair.

She was unaware of Joe gazing at her. _'Perhaps….I should ask her out on a date. I've been waiting long enough.'_ He thought to himself as he gazed out of the window to the bright blue sky.

After the club activities the boys had gathered together.

"Let's go to the arcade." declared Dan, pumping his fist into the air. Soon, Baron joined him in that ridiculous pose.

Joe sighed exasperatedly. He knew that there was no way to avoid this situation, so he admitted defeat and went along with the enthusiastic duo.

"No way!" Dan cried as he ran over to one of the game machines. "Someone beat my record for strongest punch!" he exclaimed pointing at the record meter. He was pouting like a five year old.

"Well, I reckoned that someday a Sumo wrestler would walk past and beat it to a crisp." commented Joe.

Dan glared at him. "This is not a time for jokes. It is a matter of my pride."

"Yes, Dan-sama's honor." accentuated Baron.

"Fine, knock yourself out."

Dan ignored the unresponsiveness in Joe's voice as he rolled up his sleeves. He huffed and hit the red cushion with all his strength. The lights lit up and some numbers were displayed. But the score didn't even come close to the new record.

Dan tired again, and again, and again, and again, and again, and again…and again.

He only stopped when he heard a faint mocking chuckle coming from behind him. When Dan turned around he came face to face with another guy. He was leaning onto one of the arcade machines with an extremely smug smile on his face.

"What're you sneering for, huh?" called out Dan.

The other guy had sleek black hair which was tied into a neat (cool-looking) knot behind his head. He also had piercing golden eyes. One of his eyebrows was raised as he smirked in mockery. "You. Punch. Like. A. Girl." He answered in a level voice, stopping at each word to emphasize it.

"What!…I dare you to say it again."

The raven-haired guy only snickered. "The truth hurts." He muttered as he walked up to the machine and slipped in a coin. With not as much as an attacking stance he hit the red cushion. The lights immediately started blinking and huge capital letters reading "NEW RECORD" flashed in luminous blue writing.

Dan's eyes were wide open and his mouth dropped open. "Can't be! There's something wrong with that contraption."

"Want me to try that on you, hot-shot?" asked the black haired guy showing Dan his clenched fist. And before Dan could respond he walked away.

Shun Kazami was his name. He had returned back to Japan after a good eight years or so. Life in the US had trained him to be tough, especially after both his parents and grandparents died and left him to fend for himself.

Dan glared at Shun's back as he gritted his teeth…He did not like that guy, not one bit. He was glad he wouldn't have to see him again.

And boy was he wrong!

The very next day after classes. They bumped into Shun once more; literally, bumped into him. That's right, Baron wasn't acutely paying attention to where he was going and well- BUMP, THUD and OW.

Baron fell to the ground. The man he had bumped into didn't seem to be affected too much.

"Hey watch where you're going." Shun half=ordered glaring at Baron.

"Well, Buddy. You should as well." Spoke up Dan indignantly.

Shun snorted and Dan narrowed his eyes. "You have some nerve to be so rude. And that too for a second time." Spoke Dan.

Shun's golden eyes danced a little as he smirked. "Second time?" he chuckled. "Wait, so does that mean that I should remember you from somewhere?"

"Just yesterday! AT the arcade, you really crawled under my skin." thundered Dan.

"Oh…Hn, forgive me then I feel no point in remembering the insignificant accounts I have with weaklings." muttered Shun smugly.

And then there began an all out street fight. It was doubtful to determine who the one who dealt the first blow was. But, in the end punches were thrown from anywhere to everywhere.

You'd expect Shun to be outnumbered but he definitely wasn't. The match was three to one after all…

And strangely enough the three of them lost to the raven-haired golden eyed guy. One reason was because Baron punched like a girl. Second, the soles of Joe's shoes were too slippery and it slipped like crazy on the moist footpath. Third, well, third because this other guy was much faster, much stronger and much more skillful than them. He handled Baron and Joe as if they were babies.

Now with Dan, he had a bit of a hard time… Very soon Dan was on the ground as well.

"That…guy is strong…" whispered Joe as he gingerly fingered his stinging cheekbone.

"Damn him…." huffed Dan as he struggled back onto his feet. Shun just watched with an eyebrow raised and an amused look on his face.

Dan lunged forward with what little strength he had and set out a punch at Shun. Shun dodged it lazily and with a swift movement of his leg he had tripped Dan and sent him hurtling to the ground.

A few students from their university were watching this scene and none of them dared to interfere.

That was until an orange-haired girl emerged from the gates. She was surprised. She wondered what all these people were looking at. Her eyes were as wide as plates as she saw her friends –Dan, Joe and Baron on the ground, covered with scratches and bruises.

Without a second thought she ducked through the crowd and soon reached right in the middle of the fight.

The three guys on the ground looked at Alice in wonder…What the hell did she think she was doing?

She crouched down next to Joe, who was the closest one to her.

Shun stared blankly at the back of this girl. Something about her orange hair struck a string in his memory… But he shut the reminiscences away, there was no point remembering all that now…Not after all these years.

Dan had stumbled back onto his feet (talk about stubbornness). Shun was by now quite bored of knocking Dan to the ground time and time again. So, he raised his fist to strike a final blow that would force him to the ground, perhaps even knock him unconscious.

But his fist drew to a stop as his eyes met the determined brown orbs of Alice. She had put herself in between Dan and him. And she stood there with extended arms. "You shouldn't hurt them anymore… They're already so frightfully injured." She told Shun sternly.

Shun raised an eyebrow. "And who gave you permission to tell me what to do?"

"Please…Leave them be…" she was starting to feel an unreasonable fear clouding her. So her voice went from stern to soft. "They need to be taken to the Nurse's office right away."

"Get out of my way little girl." He muttered, his eyes narrowing ominously.

Alice gulped in hesitation. But she shook it off and just stared back into the face of this golden eyes stranger.

"Look, if you think that I am driven by inconsequential morals such as 'never hit a girl' then you're wrong…" he stated frigidly as he glared at her fiercely. "So, stop interfering and get the hell out of here." Saying this Shun raised his fist once more.

Alice felt as if his eyes were emitting concentrated acid -or something- from the way his look digested her.

She felt her throat dry up, and her legs trembled faintly. Yet, she still stood there in front of Shun, she did not move. Or rather she **could** not move .She had to help her friends.

Another set of hurried footsteps sounded as someone else came running towards this group of people.

It was Runo, she was fuming. "Are you crazy? ALICE!" she yelled as she tried to cut through the sea of people.

That name! Could it be her? No, it possibly couldn't be her, could it?

Shun paused for a moment, his face immersed in deep thought….That hair, those eyes, that name… and then a slightly incredulous look passed his facial features.

"Alice Gehabich?" he questioned her, disbelief evident in his voice.

Alice was taken by shock, her knees were still weak but she moistened her throat and spoke up. "Yes." She gulped once more, now the fear in her heart was evident on her face. "How… how do you know my name?" she forced the question out. She pressed her hands to her sides so that they would cease trembling.

Shun's fist dropped to his side as a sort of chuckle escaped his curved lips. "You will know." He muttered. "Very…soon."

And with that said he turned his back on them and walked away. Right after Shun's figure disappeared round the corner Alice sank to her knees.

"Now, that was scary!" she exclaimed to herself, but something was bothering her in the back of her mind….What could it be though?

**And that was the first chapter.**

**True to what have predicted I am down with a high fever…hat's right, burning temperature, sore eyes and then an eternity of boredom….And so I thought why not just complete this story while consumed with all this dullness.**

**And that's just what I did…I wonder if I'll be able to make it back to school tomorrow.**

**Anyway, please REVIEW****...**** This is the first chapter after all….Pretty please? **

**Bye bye for now. Hope you'll read the upcoming chapters as well.**


	2. Chapter 2

**I really do appreciate the support/response I received since the first chapter….Thanks guys… I appreciate it.**

**For now, I hope you like my latest chapter.**

**My Mesmerizing Mirage**

**crystal-mist**

**Chapter 2**

**Yet Another Encounter.**

Last day's encounter was still fresh in Alice's mind. She could still clearly envisage the face of that man… That well chiseled face, that long wavy black hair, those honey-gold eyes that housed grave emotion in them.

As Alice walked home, she stopped near the place where that fight had taken place.

For some unknown reason, she spent a considerable amount of time just gazing at the wall there…. She was utterly spaced out. So much so, that she did not notice someone standing right next to her.

"What're you doing back at the scene of the crime?" came a smooth voice.

Alice interpreted that voice as a smooth bowl of cream that bore no lumps, the finest, most richest cream that was soothingly pulling her into its depths, a wondrous splendor of- her thoughts stopped short as she saw who the person actually was.

"You…you…" no coherent sentence would escape her throat.

"Nothing to say?"

"I…"

"You can do better than one syllable, Alice Gehabich." He spoke; his eyebrows were quirked in the most amused way.

"How?" there she went again…All that toil and she could frame only one lonesome word. Pathetic!

He looked at her coolly and extended his hand towards her in a shake-hand. It was only a friendly gesture. But for some strange reason Alice felt herself shrink away and subsequently take a step or two away from this man.

"Is this any way to welcome someone back?"

"Welcome?" she questioned. "The first time I saw you. You were beating up my friends. Why in the world would I even want to see you again?"

"Yesterday was not the first time we met." He muttered crouching a bit.

"Yes it was." She defended.

"I beg to differ."

"I've never seen you before that."

"You know that's not true." He muttered.

"Just get away from me." she said boldly in indecisive courage.

The corner of his lips quirked up in a slight smirk as he moved forward and took hold of her arm.

"What…are you." she exclaimed as she struggled against his firm grip. "What are you doing?"

He said nothing; he only used his strength and pulled her closer to him. Her body almost collided with his as she was jerked forwards.

Her breathe hitched in her throat. What would happen now? She realized that struggling did no use; he only tightened his grip on her hand.

Why was he doing this though? Sure, there were so many messed up people in this world. But why him? And why her?

"Look at me…" he muttered intensely. "And tell me that you do not know me." He was so close to her. His face was **so close**. One wrong move and he could take advantage of her.

She gazed at him in a mixture of fear and confusion. She looked at him just like a cornered deer would look at a ferocious lion. "I do not kno-" but she stopped her sentence short as she saw the chain that hung around his neck. The pattern of the key that dangled from the chain caught her attention and the engraving on it made her eyes grow wide. "It can't be." she whispered in disbelief.

"Took you long enough." He huffed realizing that she recognized him.

"That's not…possible…" she muttered. The incredulity was evident in her shaky voice

"And why not?" he questioned raising his other hand to lightly touch her cheek.

She froze and her chocolate eyes widened in alarm "You have no proof." She further said ignoring the key she had seen earlier.

Shun only looked at her with that same intense gaze. He said nothing as he caressed her cheek. A pink blush crept upon Alice's cheeks.

He kept taking steps forwards and Alice's back was nearing the wall. "Unhand me." She exclaimed desperately.

"Sshh…" and with that he pinned her against the wall with one hand on her wrist and the other positioned on her cheek. "I'll give you proof." he whispered. She was now well and truly trapped.

There was something about the way he said those words that made a chill travel through her spine.

"P…please just-" her voice broke. It was plain to see that he was terrified.

"Don't worry…" he whispered huskily. "I do not plan on hurting you…" he pushed a strand of her hand behind her ear. "You are my fiancée after all."

No amount of squirming did her any good. Struggling did not seem to deter his hold on her. "Please…" she pleaded, tears threatening to pour down her cheeks.

Shun's emotionless features softened a bit seeing the sheer fear in her eyes. "You're scared, aren't you?" he questioned softly.

She opened her mouth to answer but was unable to say anything.

Shun sighed lightly as he loosened his hold on her. He then moved away from her so that she was no longer pushed against the wall. She was taken aback that he had actually obliged.

He then pointed at her neck, towards the base of her collarbone. "You have a mole there." He muttered as a sort of explanation.

Alice's eyes widened as she involuntarily reached towards her mole. Her fingers were met by the fastened collar of her shirt. There was no way he could have seen it now. Her face had acquired a deep shade of scarlet by now. So that means…He had to be **him**.

She tore her gaze away from his and looked at the ground as she fingered her collar nervously. Her eyebrows were knotted as she gulped. "It is you…." she muttered still trying to convince herself. "Kazami-kun." She whispered in that melodic voice of hers.

Shun stared in amazement at her; her expressions were just so endearing. The way her face oscillated from fear, surprise, acceptance, suspicion and incredulity was just plain alluring. He caught himself wondering just how many emotions he could make her display.

"You sound…resentful." He muttered.

Her eyes widened. "No, it's not that…" she defended. "I…well…it's just confusing really." She tried explaining. But what was she to tell him?

"What's so confusing exactly? If you want me to spell it out for you- My name is Shun Kazami." He said matter-of-factly.

"Yes; that I understand." She nodded. "But then…You almost punched me yesterday." She said still refusing to look into his enthralling golden eyes.

"Oh…that. Well, you were the one who interfered in a guy's fight." He accused. "You should know better than that. If it were some other real thug, he wouldn't have let you go…He might not have just hit you…He could've done stuff much worse and-"

"That's enough!" she cut him short hurriedly. She then looked directly at him. "That's not what I meant though… You would never have even raised a fist against a person devoid of reason...At least, that was the Kazami-kun I knew. But now, from what I hear…You started hurting my friends for apparently no reason."

"That brunette was getting on my nerves."

"Sure, Dan **can** be a handful at times…But still…Why…would **Kazami-kun** do that?"

"Listen Alice…" he said seriously. "You have to accept the fact that circumstances change people. Things don't always remain the same. It is naively idealistic of you to even think of something as absurd as that. Everything changes in the course of time…And you can't expect things to remain amiable and virtuous forever... " His voice dropped with a hint of lament. "Even with me."

Alice caught this change in tone and looked up just in time to see that momentary look of regret.

Their eyes were locked now… The moments dragged on endlessly. What Shun just said really got to her. What had he meant?

Shun was the first to break this silence. "So, do you study here?"

She nodded. "Yes…" she brushed her orange hair out of her eyes. "And you?"

Shun raised an eyebrow at her.

"Why are abruptly here in Japan after all these years?"

"Why? Would you have preferred if I stayed in the US?"

"No….I." a blush tinted her cheeks. "I mean…Why are you here **now**?"

Shun smiled at her and walked over to her. He laid his hand on the top of her head. "**Why,** you ask?" he whispered bending down and laying his chin on her head.

The blush on her face deepened.

"What do you think?" he whispered. Alice's heartbeat quickened as she felt his lips brush languidly against the low fringe that concealed most of her forehead.

"I…"

To be honest he only came to Japan to claim his family fortune… But now that he was met with something so unanticipated, he adapted to the circumstance. "To…reclaim…my fiancée…" he whispered against her hair. Each word made her stomach do summersaults.

Alice's chocolate eyes widened as the blush on her face further intensified.

He moved away from her with a self-satisfied smirk on his face. "See you around…Alice." He removed his hands from the top of her head and turned away from her.

Shun smiled in satisfaction as he tucked his hands into his pockets and walked away just as casually as ever.

Alice however stood rooted to the spot. She closed her eyes and brought her hand to her heart. She tried all she could to calm down its rapid thumping. _'To reclaim my fiancée.' _That seriousness, that intensity with which he said those words remained burnt into her mind. She could still hear the ring of that crystal clear voice distinctly in her head.

She was so engrossed in her thoughts that she almost jumped out of her skin when Joe placed his hand on her shoulder.

"AH! Joe, you shouldn't sneak up on people like that!" she exclaimed.

He smiled at her. "Sorry." He said, his voice hinted concern.

She smiled at him. "Shall we head home then?"

He nodded as they proceeded on their way.

Alice was walking beside Joe but her mind was wandering elsewhere… Alice had often wondered if it were possible to go through an infinite time loop _(like in the Haruhi Suzumiya series)__._ But then, her mind seemed to be stuck in one. She replayed her meeting with Shun Kazami over and over again. Shun Kazami, her fiancé.

She sighed deeply as she looked up at the bright blue sky above. What would happen now? Only time could tell.

_**Alright….Now that's that.**_

_**I'll be honest now, I had a bit of a hard time actually visualizing what happened on their second meeting… I mean, I don't know….Was it a bit too mushy-mushy, or perhaps a bit bland even? **_

_**Tell me what you think alright? Please do REVIEW this story.**_

_**Arisu signing out…. *Victory symbol***_


	3. Chapter 3

**My Mesmerizing Mirage**

**crystal-mist**

**Chapter 3**

Alice stretched a bit as she picked up her bag from her locker…Her day at university had showed the same hint of monotony it always did.

That evening when Alice was about to exit the gate of her university, she heard a series of murmuring and delighted squeals. A large number of girls were standing there, murmuring intently.

"Nyah…Look at that hottie."

"Isn't that the Haruse university uniform?"

"I wonder why he's here…"

"Oh man, I wish he studied here…I would kill to be his girl-friend."

"Look at those dreamy eyes…"

"And that stoic expression."

Alice sighed as she walked through the gates. But then she instantaneously stopped in her tracks.

There, standing with hands tucked in pockets and back rested upon the wall was Shun. He was apparently waiting for someone.

He had a nonchalant expression on his face and paid no heed to girls who were ogling at him.

And then, his eyes locked upon her. He stood up straight.

Alice felt her breathe hitch in her throat as she watched him walk towards her. Now that she really looked at him she saw how much he had changed. His muscles seemed solid and he seemed so strong even when viewed from a distance. He was the epitome of sculptural perfection.

Finally he reached by her side.

"Mind company?"

"Uh well…" she didn't know what to answer. When they were children she and Shun had been best friends. But now he was just a tad too intimidating. "Not really."

And so; the both of them started walking.

Alice trained her eyes on the ground. The sight of gravel wasn't specifically interesting but she fond herself seeking composure amidst the stony path.

"You were waiting for me?" she asked. "Why?"

"Do I need a reason?"

"Well… Yeah."

"We're engaged." He muttered as simply as that.

Alice gulped, her heart beating faster. "That I know… But still…" she closed her eyes and took in a deep breath without him noticing. What was with this situation? Why was she so nervous? "Never mind." She muttered.

"There is no other reason." He muttered. "It is my right to stalk you."

"Stalk me?" she repeated in astonishment. The choice of word bothered her just a bit.

He chuckled lightly. "You sound surprised."

She decided to change the topic while she stood a chance. She couldn't keep blushing like this all eternity.

"You've enrolled in Haruse University?" she asked.

He smirked, realizing her defeat. "Uh-huh…I plan to stay in Japan." He paused a bit before continuing. "For a while; at least.

"Oh…"

And then they drifted into silence… It was strange. Alice had no idea what to say. "What's that on your arm?"

Shun looked at her in a quizzical glance.

"A tattoo?" she asked pointing at his forearm.

"Oh that…Yeah." He said rolling up his sleeve so she could have a good look at it.

She stared at the intricate details of the engraved dragon. "Hn…" She couldn't help but notice how well-defined his muscles were.

He walked beside her at a leisurely pace. He was so totally at ease. She wondered just how he was accomplishing that 'don't care' attitude.

"You have a boyfriend?" he asked.

A blush appeared on Alice's cheek. She was first and foremost surprised that he would ask such a blunt question so suddenly, and then she was embarrassed at not having a boy-friend. She'd never had a major commitment up until now. Pitiful! "Uh…No."

"Good."

"What do you mean by 'good'?" she asked indignantly.

"I won't have to ask you to dump him now."

"And what makes you think I'll dump him just because you tell me to."

He shrugged. "If you wouldn't dump him, then there are also other means."

"Such as?"

"Threats, black mail, a few punches here and there. That'd do the trick..."

She stared at him in horror. "You…But…I…"

"Oh don't worry…" he said with a sly smirk. "I won't resort to those methods when it comes to you." As they walked he laid his hand on top of her head. "Seriously…You don't have to worry about that…You are my precious fiancée after all."

Her racing brain ceased to a stop as she felt his hand softly lying on her hair. She said nothing as an answer.

"What if I've already met my soul mate?" She spoke.

He smiled now. "Then I advice you to forget about him."

"What if I can't?"

"You'd better…"

"What if his memory is deeply etched into every fiber of my being?"

He looked at her, his enthralling golden orbs piercing into hers. "Then I will slowly wipe him away; rid him from your heart…" he muttered suddenly taking hold of her arms and pulling her closer to him. "Slowly but surely I will purge every trace of his image from your mind." He whispered lightly, but very clearly. He then used his hand to lift her chin so she was looking directly at him, their faces mere centimeters apart.

"Pride hath before a fall, same goes for over-confidence."

"Don't you give me your proverbial phrases when I'm being serious!"

She gazed at Shun in surprise. She gulped and no matter how hard she tried she could not ignore her rapidly beating heart or the butterflies which were causing havoc in her stomach.

"You're mine, and don't you ever forget that." He told her.

Her eyes widened and a sort of chill travelled through her spine.

It was strange to have a man tell her something like this. He…He was being so possessive of her. She couldn't retort to that. Even her pride which shrieked that she was not an object to be possessed couldn't respond to** that **statement. And the deep scarlet blush on her face wasn't helping either.

Alice felt weak, helpless even… She said nothing as she slowly moved away from him. His hold her hand was lax now, but he still held to her.

She could smell the faint smell of nicotine emanating from Shun. It was mixed with the fragrance of his cologne.

That's it…A perfect change of subject. "You…smoke?" she asked.

Shun let go of her hand and looked away. "Occasionally."

"That's what all the addicts say."

"I am NOT an addict…"

"You shouldn't smoke…its not good for your health."

"Wow, I did not know that!" he spoke sarcastically.

Alice sighed. "You should quit." She said.

He was about to retort or say something that would totally put her off guard again, but Alice beat him to it. "That's my house right there." She said pointing at an apartment.

"You may expect me tomorrow as well." Shun said nonchalantly.

She chose not to say anything to that statement. "I'd better get going now." And with that, she ran towards the stairs of the apartment.

She reached her door, opened it and hurried inside and locked the door behind her. She sank on her couch. Now that she replayed everything that had just happened and everything that had just been said, she felt slightly overwhelmed.

No, strike that last bit. Not slightly…But completely overwhelmed.

Shun Kazami…Would he really keep true to his word and slowly wipe her heart away from everyone else? And would they really end up getting married just like their families had intended?

How strong was 'fate' and 'destiny' when face to face with the power of human 'desire' and the incessant sway of human 'whim'?

**Thanks for reading… Please Review…**


	4. Chapter 4

**Alright, so thanks for all your support and all the wonderful reviews. I appreciate it. Well, here is chapter 4. Hope you like it.**

**My Mesmerizing Mirage**

**crystal-mist**

**Chapter 4**

Alice grunted in disapproval as she stared at the university grounds. It was shaped like an oval, and it was big. The prospect of having to make seven rounds of the dusty terrain did not appeal to her _at all_. She had never been one of the sporty gals. Honestly! Universities never insisted on compulsory Physical training, did they?

In the distance she spotted Runo and Julie who had already started the run without her.

"What're you waiting for?" came a male voice.

Alice smiled softly at Joe. "I _really_ don't like this."

"Like you're one to complain. Boys have to endure _thirteen_ rounds. Not only is it strenuous but it's an unlucky number. So most guys end up being persuaded to take a fourteenth round by coach."

A soft string of giggles escaped her lips. "Seriously? And _**you**_ do it too?"

Joe avoided her gaze embarrassedly. "Well…it depends on my mood. Sometimes I do, and at others I don't." he knotted his hand in front of his chest and raised his eyebrow as tapped his foot impatiently. "Go ahead; Laugh… I know you want to."

Seeing the expression on his face Alice let loose the laughter she had earnestly stifled.

Joe stared at her face. Sure, he was embarrassed. But then again, seeing her face flooded in happiness more than made up for it.

"Done?" he asked.

"I'.sorry…" she managed amidst her giggles.

"Alright, alright…" he said. "Enough already, it's time we started jogging. We're falling behind."

"Kay."

The day was hot and the sun was beating down on the track mercilessly. After they had completed; tired panting filled the air. Only a select few were still full of energy. Dan was burning off steam as if he could easily conquer another twenty rounds or so.

"So, might I ask how many rounds you ran today?" Alice asked Joe with a sly smile on her face.

"Thirteen!" he declared.

"Joe, thirteen is unlucky!" exclaimed Julie overdramatically. "It is the unluckiest number ever….Bad things happen. Really bad."

Joe raised an eyebrow at the drama queen. "I was born on thirteen of November."

"Even worse!" she squealed.

Julie's ran was so long and 'loud' that Joe admitted defeat to her in the end.

"Well, we'll see what my luck brings." He said, looking at Alice all the while.

Alice caught his gaze fixed on her and couldn't help but blush slightly as she turned away.

During lunch break, the conversation was not particularly interesting. That was when Julie gasped heavily, and then broke out into a cackle of laughter. When the group of friends turned in the direction of the supposed hilarious thing, they saw Joe. His clothes were drenched and covered with stains. His hair seemed almost as if plastered to his face. Strings of noodles clung to his hair and shoulders.

"What…happened?" asked Runo.

"Soup." He said grimly. "The cafeteria helper was carrying the soup and apparently she didn't see me coming. We bumped into one another and the entire pot of soup was emptied upon me." He explained in a single breath. It was clear to see his discontentment with the whole situation.

"I told you thirteen was an unlucky number." Julie cooed. "Told you so."

Joe's eyebrow twitched as the others continued to laugh. "You…" he muttered pointing to Alice. "You're the one who prompted me to take thirteen rounds."

"I did not prompt." Alice said pouting. "I just said it was silly that you believed the number 'thirteen' was so unlucky."

"Some difference…" he said.

"Told you so." jeered Julie.

"You." Joe said once again pointing to Alice. "You're going to help me change."

Instantly an echoing **"WHAT!"** emanated from everyone's lips.

Joe blinked in confusion a few times. It was only then that he perceived the counter meaning that could be observed from his words.

Instantaneously, all the blood rushed to his face giving rise to a deep scarlet blush. "NO!" he exclaimed. "I didn't mean it that way!" he cried, waving his hands wildly in denial. "I did NOT mean it like that…I swear."

"Pervert." coughed Baron.

"Sh…Shut up!" Joe was clearly too embarrassed for words.

After about five minutes of teasing, Runo finally spoke up. "Why don't we cut the poor guy some slack? He's covered in soupy condiments…it must be bad enough."

The others agreed- though reluctantly. Joe walked away, his back slumped. He wondered if Alice thought he was perverted as well.

He was slowly slipping into undeniable depression. "Thirteen _is_ unlucky." He muttered to himself as he walked away.

Alice stood up from her seat. "I feel sorry for him…" she said. It _**was**_ partially her fault- if you looked at it form a superstitious point of view.

She caught up to the soup-covered guy who was walking with heavy steps. "Hey Joe…I think you should go to the nurse's office. She'll have a spare set of clothes…"

Joe was startled. He managed a smile in the direction of the orange-haired girl. "Yeah, patients' clothes- dull and white. How nice." He said with light sarcasm.

"It's better than sticky meso soup."

"This is meso?"

"Not sure…It's just an assumption." She answered walking with her hands tied behind her back.

"Hey Alice, about what the guys laughed about earlier…" he paused as his cheeks acquired a pinkish tint. "You know I didn't mean it _that _way, don't you?" he enquired, half doubtfully.

"Of course I do, silly!" she said; the warm smile still on her face. "Don't worry…"

"Thanks…" he muttered to her.

That evening Alice was accompanied by Dan on the way home. He was talking about some of the ridiculous club activities that Julie was forcing Runo and the other members of the drama club to go through.

However Alice wasn't paying much attention as she stared at the gates in apprehension. Shun's words echoed repeatedly in her mind. _'You can expect me tomorrow as well.'_ Would he be there?

She wasn't particularly in the mood to play referee in another showdown between Shun and Dan-two hotheads who wouldn't say 'No' to a fight. She was positive that once they spotted one another it would be an all-out war.

She desperately hoped that Shun wouldn't be there. But contrary to her expectations there he was, standing in the same place he had been the previous day.

Alice's breath hitched in her throat. No one knew about the fact that she was engaged. And she knew that it would be a **very** hard thing to explain, especially when it comes to Dan's simple and childish mind.

Also, the first impression Shun had made on her friends wasn't exactly a 'kindly' one.

Alice gazed directly at Shun. Channeling all her thought power to her eyes and facial expression, she implored Shun not to approach.

He only stared back at her in the same nonchalantly stoic expression he always wore.

She could see from his face that he didn't like the fact that she was walking home with a 'male' classmate…He didn't like it **at all**.

Even so, Shun decided to heed the beseeching look in his fiancée's eyes and so, stayed away. She sighed with relief as she realized it.

Dan leant closer to her. "Hey Alice…don't look now." he muttered. "But the other guy is here…You know; that who picked a fight with us the other day."

Alice half-gasped. Why did Dan have to notice Shun? Normally he was so oblivious of his surroundings!

"He's looking this way." Informed Dan. "Wait, I think he's looking at you."

"Uh…well…really?" muttered Alice, trying to pretend that nothing was bothering her.

"Seriously…He's looking at you…staring….gawking." Dan always stated the obvious without thinking. If Alice were asked to describe Dan at that particular moment she would've said something like 'immature', 'asinine', 'unintelligent' or plainly 'stupid'.

"Stop exaggerating Dan." She huffed; her cheeks flushed pink.

"No…seriously…Why we ought to-"

"No." she said firmly taking hold of his arm and preventing him from approaching Shun. "You are **not** picking a fight with him again."

"Alice...But he might _stalk_ you or something."

"I said **'No'**." she said as she turned her face away from Dan. Dan had no idea of the predicament she was in.

"Fine, fine…You don't have to stop talking to me." said Dan pouting.

Alice stared at Dan's standard 'puppy-dog' face and giggled. "That really does **not** suit you…"

"_Normal_girls go gaga over this face, you know."

"Yeah right." She said sticking out her tongue a little and winking.

"Cut it out Alice, we're not battling cute expressions here. Cause I admit you'd beat me any day."

Alice's chocolate eyes widened. "Really?" a scarlet blush crept across her face.

"Yeah, that's one of the reasons _that_ poor guy's head-over-heels in love with you." he muttered without thinking.

Alice paused in her tracks. "_Which_ guy?"

"Oops… I shouldn't have said that." said Dan ashamedly. "Pretend you didn't hear that." He said walking away.

"Wait." Alice quickened her steps in curiosity. "Who? Which guy?" she urged Dan.

"Can't tell you that." He said winking. "But I'll tell you this much. He has not experienced a **single** kiss so far in his life..."

Alice frowned at Dan. "Stop bringing my lack in kissing experience up…"

He grinned. "Yeah sorry about that…but one thing is for sure- he's trustworthy and **will** keep you happy."

Alice just stared at Dan for a second or two, her mind probing for possibilities.

They soon reached a junction. "Anyways Alice, don't think too much about it… Everything will be revealed in due time."

"Since when did you start uttering such profound sentences?" she asked raising an eyebrow.

Dan laughed sheepishly. "I got that one from a video game." He admitted before setting off towards the right. "See ya."

Alice sighed as she made her way down the opposite path. She had only advanced five to six strides when she heard footsteps behind her.

Those footsteps were sharp and precise as they plodded along the streets in a rhythm that was nothing less than perfect. In her sub-conscience she had a notion that the one following her was Shun.

Soon, the owner of the footsteps caught up with her and they were walking side by side.

It was Shun alright. She gazed at him through the corner of her eyes. He had his hands tucked neatly into his pockets as he walked beside her, his footsteps now in perfect synchronization with hers.

"Don't expect me to do that again." He muttered.

She tilted her head to one side slightly and gave him a questioning look. "Do what?"

He sighed. "Don't expect me to just stand by and watch you walk home with _some_ guy, especially not that obnoxious brunette."

Her eyes widened. "Oh…" but then, a sort of dissatisfied look passed across her features. "He's not '_some'_ guy. Dan happens to be a very close friend of mine."

"Is that so, now?" he asked coolly.

"Yes." She declared indignantly.

Then all was quiet until Alice spoke up again. "Wait…You won't threaten him or anything like that, will you?" she asked.

Shun chuckled lightly at the strange tone in her voice. "What makes you ask me something like that?" he asked, half amused.

"Will you?" she pressed on, still skeptical.

"No…" he muttered. "Not for now at least." He said smirking at her.

Alice sighed heavily. "Why must you always be so…"

"So...what?"

"I can't even think of a proper word to describe it…" she said.

"Unique?" he suggested.

"No, that's not even close."

"Exceptional?"

She giggled. "You have high expectations of yourself."

"That I do…" he said and then gazed at her. "I have high expectations of you as well."

Her face was immediately tinted pink. "What…what do you mean?"

"I expect Alice Gehabich to have not changed over the years…" he said. "I expect you to be the same innocent little girl of ten years ago who hangs onto _every _word I utter, the very same girl who was only too exultantly delighted to marry me."

Alice immediately turned away, her face flushed and her heart beating nineteen to dozen. "Well Kazami-kun…Many things can change in ten years. You told me that yourself; did you not?"

"Yeah... But in your case…" he paused, his gaze affixed upon her face. "You don't seem to have changed at all."

"And I am not exultantly delighted to m…" she struggled to pry that word out of her throat. "marry…you."

"You are not?"

"And I do _NOT_ hang upon every word you say."

"Really?" he shrugged. "Is that why you are blushing so profusely then?"

"I am _not_ blushing…"

"My mistake then."

She knew from the tone in his voice that he was teasing her, and what's more, he seemed enjoy it as well. She pouted, why was it that his presence caused her so much confusion? Faintly she heard the rustle of some bushes but didn't pay much attention to it until she found herself face to face with a single rose. She blinked in confusion and soon turned her gaze to Shun, the person holding the rose out for her.

"Don't sulk." He said placidly.

Quite involuntarily a bright smile lit up her face and she ignored his 'sulking' comment. "Thank you." She said, gently taking the rose from Shun's grip. "But you really shouldn't go plucking roses from others' gardens."

He stared at her smiling face almost as if he were enthralled by it. "Whatever."

As Alice stared at the rose in her hand she could feel the weight of Shun's gaze upon her. She _tried_ her best not to be flustered by it and _tried_ to act natural- keyword 'tried'.

"You free this Saturday?" he asked out of the blue.

"Yes, why?" she replied without thinking.

"We'll go out then." he stated plainly. "We'll catch a movie. (Insert movie name here) is previewing then, isn't it?"

She blinked at him. "Wait, I haven't even agreed yet…and what if-"

He cut her short. "So, you want to decline the date?"

"Date?" she gulped, her face turning scarlet. He was asking her out on a date? The idea of going out on a date with her supposed fiancé made Alice's heart beat faster. "Well… I dunno."

"Will you come or not?"

Her chocolate eyes wandered settling first on one object then another, not wanting to meet Shun's gaze. "I…well… I guess."

"Hesitant, are we?"

Alice wanted so desperately to hide her embarrassment. "It's your fault for bringing things like that so suddenly." She said indignantly. "I mean, be a bit more gracious…It sounds like you're half-ordering to go out on a date with you and-" she stopped her sentence short, hearing Shun's chuckle. "What's so funny?"

He shook his head from side to side. "It's nothing…You're insanely cute when you're edgy, you know."

"Sure, you probably say that to every girl you run into." She said quickening her steps, her face still blush-ridden. However, there was this tiny part of her mind that hoped that Shun did **not** say that to all the women he met; a part of her mind that hoped that Shun indeed found her alluring.

**That's that then.**

**Please do not forget to leave me a little note on how you think. That's right, please do hit the glorious REVIEW button below and type me a few quick words…**

**Thanks for reading guys, I appreciate it. Tune in for more (that sounded a bit overly put :P) **

**Anyways, Take care, kay?**


	5. Chapter 5

**My Mesmerizing Mirage**

**crystal-mist**

**Chapter 5**

"So...I was thinking that we'd go to my ski resort this weekend." explained Joe to his slightly bewildered friends.

Julie was the first one to recover from all the new information. "Wait…" she exclaimed. "You own a ski resort?"

"Well, more or less." said Joe shrugging off her melodramatics. "It's situated up in …There's a 5-star restaurant, an extremely well maintained ski-course, an ice skating rink and a lot more." Seeing the incredulous expressions before him he chuckled. "Accommodation will be free of cost, of course." It didn't feel half bad basking in all this newly found attention.

"Free!" Dan and Baron were clearly beyond impressed.

"Grow up you two!" muttered Runo glaring at them fiercely.

Joe found his gaze relentlessly trailing its way towards Alice. The aloofness on her face didn't quite impress him; she didn't seem to be listening. She was sort of staring out into blank space. Joe cleared his throat and continued speaking. "So we'll meet at the railway station Friday evening at 7:00. Is that alright with everyone?"

Alice seemed to jolt out of her trance. "How long?"

The question was so abrupt and the lack of grammatical creativity took a little while for Joe to actually comprehend what she meant to ask. "Oh…A two-day trip. We'll be back at about noon on Sunday." He explained.

"Uh…I…" she paused to draw everyone's attention. She found herself half-wondering why she was refusing this seemingly amazing trip just because of Shun's unexpected date. "I won't...be able to make it this week."

"WHAT!" squealed Julie in disbelief. "Surely Alice, you can reschedule, can't you?" Julie knew for a fact that the only reason Joe had made such a generous offer was in order to impress Alice or something along the lines. And if Alice wasn't going, then…the trip would most definitely be cancelled. Julie _definitely_ did **not **want that. In the past _five minutes_ she had fantasized too much about the whole prospect of living in a five star hotel atop a mountain to let go of those dreams without a solemn fight.

"So…you're not coming?" Joe did his best to mask the disenchantment in his voice.

Alice gazed at Joe's almost wistful face. "Well…" she twirled a strand of her hair between her fingers as she considered. "I don't know…uh…"

"Aw come on Alice. This is a once in a lifetime chance…" pushed on Julie.

"It's alright though." said Joe. "Let me know if you change your mind alright?" he said before standing up and leaving.

Alice gazed after him. There was something about that tone in his voice that almost implied a faint trace of hurt. Joe had been so generous arranging a trip like this for his friends and Alice felt downright dreadful for disheartening him like this.

All through the entire day Alice couldn't get that expression of Joe's out of her mind. After university she was met by Shun once again. Luckily for her, this time none of her friends decided to accompany her home.

As the both of them walked side by side, Alice took five minutes or so to gather courage and then spoke up. "Uh Kazami-kun." She called out.

"I sense that what you're about to say is something I wouldn't be particularly overjoyed to hear." he stated plainly.

"…."

"I'm right, aren't I?" he asked her.

Alice was surprised at his perceptiveness. She took in a deep breath nefore proceeding to explain to him the situation. "-And…I just feel so bad for letting him down…"she concluded

"Alright, so let me get this straight. You want to blow off our first date**, because**?" questioned Shun in an annoyed voice.

"Because." Alice stressed. "Joe and I've been friends for a long time. And I really shouldn't be the cause of his melancholy…I'd feel really awful. I mean, he put so much effort into this trip."

Shun raised his eyebrow. "And you're saying** I** didn't?" he demanded.

Alice's eyes widened as she stopped in her tracks. "What do you mean?" she questioned slowly.

Shun stuffed his hands in his jacket's pocket and pulled out two pieces of brightly coloured paper. Alice gazed at it in astonishment. "Those…those're limited edition tickets to the Spring Musix concert. They sold out weeks ago. How did you get those?... Wait, I thought we were going for a movie!"

Shun didn't answer her as he continued walking with a slightly increased pace. Alice could tell that he was displeased. "Kazami-kun…I'm sorry." She called out after him hoping that he'd listen to her.

"…"

"Kazami-kun?"

"Whatever…"

"Kaza-"

"Go ahead." He cut her short. "Go to your little _friend's_ ski-resort. What do I care? It isn't a necessity that you come… There're plenty of other girls I can go to the concert with, _plenty of_ girls lined up and just waiting for me to ask them out." He said none too kindly.

Alice couldn't help the queasy feeling that came from deep within her heart. An irksome emotion flooded her which made her surprise transform slowly into sorrow and then into discontentment. "Then there is no need for you to stress upon **my **coming. You may go with any one of those bimbos; you'd probably have more fun that way then being dumped with a nerd like me."

"That's true." He muttered unfeelingly.

Alice just stared at his face and then turned away from him. "Fine." She said before jogging away.

Shun watched her as she sped away. He could've easily caught up to her but he didn't make any move to follow her.

As Alice contemplated over her conversation with Shun she couldn't help but wonder why she had lost her cool so easily. There was no reason that she should've got so worked up over that petty conversation, but she did.

Friday finally arrived and it was five minutes to seven. Joe, Dan, Baron, Julie and Runo were huddled on the railway platform chatting eagerly.

"I guess Alice's isn't going to show up after all." Muttered Runo regretfully.

Baron sighed heavily. He was quite fond of the sweet-natured Alice. "I wonder what kept her so busy."

"I guess we should get on the train." Dan said as he thumped Joe on the back. "Cheer up, dude."

Joe said nothing, his eyes never leaving the entrance to the platform. He couldn't help but smile as his eyes fell on an orange-haired girl rushing through the gates, struggling with her luggage. Joe chuckled as he rushed over to her and helped her lift her bags. "You made it." he said happily.

"Yeah, just barely." She replied, smiling at him gratefully.

They joined the others at the platform and soon boarded the train to Joe's ski resort. Alice sat on the soft seat and gazed out the window. She had made her decision; she was going to have fun with her friends. There was no time for second thoughts now.

After about a four hour ride they were finally there. A really expensive car was waiting for them in the driveway and it took the little party all the way to the ski-resort.

"Wow…mmm this place is so huge…" Julie exclaimed twirling around.

"Yeah… Dude, we never knew that you were filthy rich." muttered Dan, marveling the huge mountain that was behind the building. "You own this entire resort?"

"The entire mountain." Joe corrected with a chuckle.

The next morning was exhilarating. Skiing was something Dan adored to do so he challenged just about anyone to a race down the mountain. Joe was quite skilled at it too. Well, he did own an entire ski-resort; you'd expect he knew how to ski decently. He even beat Dan a couple of times.

The ice-skating rink was Alice's terrain through and through. The elegance with which she performed every move entranced all who were watching.

"Let's go shopping." Enthused Julie.

"We're on top of a mountain Ju." Runo reminded her.

"There's this cute little souvenir shop…And I totally want to check it out." She responded.

"It's only 12:00 pm….There's plenty of time." Runo tried reasoning with her. "Joe…Tell her it's no big of a deal."

Joe nodded. "Although, there is a chocolate fountain there." He said.

"Chocolate Fountain!" exclaimed Dan and Baron. "We're definitely going there, right now."

Alice giggled as she watched Julie drag Runo down the mountain with her.

"You aren't going?" asked Joe to her.

She shook her head from side to side. "I feel this sudden urge to take a walk through the snow."

"Mind company?" asked Joe hesitantly.

"Not really…You should know all the scenic routes anyway."

"Well…I've never really 'walked' through these parts. This is a ski-resort after all. I'm either inside or on one of those ski-lifts."

"Oh." She said. "Then it'll be an adventure." She said, her face lighting up as she led the way. "Follow me." She called out.

The two of them really enjoyed themselves. They had quite a few snowball fights and even made a snowman. Presently Alice was lying on the snow with her arms outstretched and eyes gazing at the wide expanse of blue sky that stretched above her.

"Cold, cold." muttered Joe as he cautiously sat down on the snow beside her.

Alice giggled at him. "I guess, being rich you relied on heaters to get you through the winter." She said.

"Ouch." Joe said. "That was mean."

"Oh no…I didn't mean it as an insult. Really." She said sitting up and looking at Joe.

"I know…" he muttered gazing deep into her eyes.

For some strange reason Alice found her heart beating just a tad faster. "Stop teasing me then." she blurted out as she broke eye contact. Why did she fell so…so strange? Her eyes widened as she looked at her watch. "Joe, its 1:30 already… We've been wandering around for an hour and a half!" she told him, feeling amazed herself.

"Time flies when you're having fun, indeed." He muttered standing up and then extending a hand to help her up.

She stared at him for a brief moment before taking his hand and pulling herself up. His hand was warm, so comfortingly warm amidst the cold. A blush covered her face as she pulled her hand away from Joe's and tucked it into the toasty warmth of her sweater pocket.

When they were quite near the restaurant guilt finally gnawed it's way into Alice's conscience. Her weak heart was one of the reasons she couldn't stay mad at someone for long when she had a fight.

"Joe…" she called out hesitantly. "Would it bother you if I left for home in the 2:30 train?"

Joe raised an eyebrow at her. "You never mentioned that you had to leave early." He said.

Alice bit her lower lip. "Answer the question."

"Well, if you simply _had _to go…Then I wouldn't stop you, nor would the others." He replied, masking his disappointment.

"So…it's okay then."

He nodded at her. "I'll arrange the limo for you." he said patting her on the shoulder before going in the restaurant and making a few calls.

Alice had a hard time explaining her sudden whimsical departure to everyone. She smiled apologetically as he climbed in the limo.

"Move over." Called out Joe.

"Joe?"

"I'll drop you at the station…" he said.

"There's no need…Really."

"I insist."

In the end Alice complied to Joe's wish. She boarded the train and waved goodbye to Joe. "I'm sorry." She called out.

"It's alright… Have a safe journey now." He yelled back at her, waving wildly. Although Alice was leaving Joe felt content. He hadn't thought that he would be able to spend any time alone with Alice at all. He would treasure every single detail of the hour and a half they had spent together laughing and having fun.

Alice sighed as she gazed out the window…For the life of her she couldn't understand why she suddenly felt like going back home and mending a certain fight. They'd be plenty of time after the weekend but somehow she felt as if it had to be done immediately.

After a four hour ride Alice went home and had a wash. She put on her favourite dark-blue top and held her in place with a hair-band. Having approved her appearance she walked out of her apartment building.

She had no idea how she intended to find _him_. She decided that she'd try her luck wandering around the entrance of the Spring Musix concert and seeing if she could spot Shun anywhere in the vicinity.

Her legs were still a bit stiff from all the skiing, skating and waking she'd done earlier that morning. She was thankful that she hadn't opted for high-heels as she walked through the huge crowd.

Alice beamed triumphantly as she spotted Shun's form in the distance. Half-sprinting whilst avoiding the crowd skillfully Alice made her way towards the black haired guy with golden eyes. She was halfway there when she stopped dead in her tracks.

It was only when she reached closer that she noticed the beautiful blonde with blue eyes who stood beside him, talking to him and flashing him flirtatious gazes.

Alice felt her heart sinking as her mind struggled to take in all the details. She had 'ditched' her friends and come all the way here to…witness…this?

The wind ruffled her fiery hair and fondled her face with its cold fingers. When she left the ski-resort abruptly she hadn't received enough time to brace herself for_ this_ scenario. "I'm so silly…" she muttered to herself. "I…I should've known...Really." She half-wished she was still at the ski-resort, having fun with her friends. Now that she thought about it, the afternoon she'd spent with Joe seemed more like a 'date'. Perhaps if she had stayed on she would've been able to confirm if Joe was the 'guy' in love with her that Dan had been talking about.

Alice felt her heart burning with intense regret as she turned her back on Shun Kazami and that beautiful blonde girl. Even though she was amidst a thick crowd of people, she felt despicably lonely…

**Alright, so that's it for this chapter.**

**All who feel like stalking up to the blonde girl and hitting her head with a huge mallet so that Shun and Alice can have fun together; stand up, raise your hand and shout "I…" or "Pick Me." Or "I wanna do it" **

**Tell me what you think. It'll only take a minute or two to type out a review. It'll take even less if you type at lightning speed LOLz. But seriously, I need your feedback kay?**


	6. Chapter 6

**My Mesmerizing Mirage**

**cry****s****tal-mist**

**Chapter 6**

Alice felt her heart burning with intense regret as she turned her back on Shun Kazami and that beautiful blonde girl. Even though she was amidst a thick crowd of people, she felt despicably lonely…

She felt a light tap on her shoulder and subconsciously with a naïve hope that it would be Shun, she turned around. Disappointment filled her as she came face to face with a total stranger.

"What's say you and me have a little fun at the concert?" asked the man, who was tall, burly and had a few silver piercings on his left ear. Alice was a little too preoccupied to realize exactly 'what' was going on.

"I think…you've got the wrong person." muttered Alice.

"Oh no…I've not, gorgeous." said the guy as he took hold of Alice's arm abruptly. "I'm serious…Deadly."

Just then, reality hit her as if it were a lightning bolt…Seriously, this guy was trying to hit on her. And he looked a bit too determined to do so… Alice's heart wrenched in fear as she tried prying her hand away from the man's grasp. But he was absolutely stronger than her. If she was a kitten, he was a bulldozer.

The man chuckled in self-conceited delight. "Don't be scared princess…I won't hurt you."

Alice searched for her voice but it betrayed her and refused to emerge through her parted lips. Why were all the passers-by engrossed so much in heir own lives? Why did no one seem to notice the terror in her eyes? Why did no one show any inclination to help her? Hope drained out of her and her ability to struggle was officially kaput.

The man tightened his grip and pulled her towards him but to her surprise she felt a somewhat stronger grip pulling her in the opposite direction.

People were by now staring at the two men who were glaring at one another fiercely whilst literally fighting over a girl.

It was only then that Alice had the rationality to actually see who this other person was… To her bewilderment, it was Shun.

"Kazami-kun?" she muttered.

"Let her go." Shun barked at the other man. His golden eyes were narrowed in a way that made it obvious that he meant business.

The other man snickered. "And if I don't?" asked the man pulling harder on Alice's arm.

Alice felt like a rag doll amidst a tug of war as Shun doubled the force of the man's pull.

"You'd better do what I say." Shun warned in a threateningly low tone.

The man laughed scornfully. "Some joke."

Alice gulped as she felt Shun's grip on her arm tighten. He then lunged forwards at the man in a swift movement and thrashed at his hand. To Alice's utmost horror, the man's wrist emitted a sort of- crack. He yelped in pain and let go of her instantly.

Exploiting the confusion Shun pulled Alice towards himself.

"Why you!" the man growled through gritted teeth.

"Don't tell me I didn't warn you." said Shun coolly. He then turned his gaze to Alice who was still dazed. "You alright?"

She nodded quietly; her face acquired a pinkish tint as she noticed that Shun's arm was around her and that she was desperately clinging onto Shun. She withdrew her hands from his arm yet his arm still lay around her as he led her away from the other man.

The man stood rooted to the spot, nursing his 'broken' hand gingerly while cursing under his breath.

"Uh…Thank you for that." murmured Alice. Her hands were still trembling but her mind had regained composure as she walked beside Shun.

"So, what happened to your little ski-trip?" asked Shun.

She gulped searching for a logical answer. She certainly didn't want him to know that she'd ditched her friends…just for…him. "Early break."

"The ski lift broke or something?"

"Exactly!" she remarked. "How did you know?" she asked to add a hint of authenticity to her fake tale.

Shun raised an eyebrow and took in her weird expression. "Lucky guess."

Finally Alice could take no more. "Shouldn't you be going back to your date?" she questioned, in a low, somewhat downtrodden tone whilst pushing estranged strands of hair behind her ear

"Huh?" he questioned languidly brushing her hair as well.

She froze as his hand made contact with the shell of her ear. "You know very well what I mean." She said shaking off his touch.

He raised an eyebrow at her and then nodded. "Oh…You mean…her."

"Yes, her. Your date, I suppose."

He said nothing; he neither accepted nor denied her claim as they approached the blonde.

"Oh Shun, you're finally back…" called out the blonde immediately running towards Shun and interlinking her arm with his. She then turned to Alice. "Gee, you're lucky Shun decided to save you back there. What were you thinking? Be a bit more cautious, why don't you?" she half-jeered.

Alice nodded. "I am grateful." She murmured bowing a little. "I'd better get going now." She said before turning away.

Before Alice could take so much as one step she felt a tug on her right arm, pulling her to a halt. "Why are you leaving?" asked Shun.

"Let me go…" she half-whispered. She didn't know why she felt so betrayed.

"I can't do that." He whispered back, his golden eyes locking with hers.

"Why not?"

"I don't want you to leave."

"That's selfish of you…You know as well as I do that I do not belong here…Not in **this **date." She spoke.

He nodded, yet his grip on her arm did not loosen, in fact it seemed to have tightened.

"Shun….What's going on?" chimed the blonde.

"See what I mean?" asked Alice staring back at Shun whilst pulling her arm out of his. "Don't worry though... I'm sure you'll have a great time." She put on a make-shift smile. "Have…fun…" To her surprise, tears filled her eyes. She desperately blinked them away, not wanting to appear weak.

Shun turned to the blonde and handed her the tickets. "You don't mind if I ditched, do you? As you very well know, this is nothing serious. Anyhow you **were** more interested in the concert; you were only sucking up to me until it was over"

The girl stared at Shun and then giggled. "You got that right." She took the tickets from his hand. "Sorry about that, but these tickets were just too good to miss…Sorry for 'trying' to deceive you…" she giggled again. "Actually I already have a boyfriend…There's nothing wrong with you though- you're just not my type. Don't worry though, you **are** super hot."

Shun chuckled "I'm not worried about that, **at all**."

"Self-confident, aren't we?" she laughed. "Thanks again…Later."

Shun then turned to Alice who had this confounded look on her face. He placed his hand on the top of her head. "Shall we get going then?"

Alice blinked in confusion. "Wait…" she paused. "What just happened there?"

"We're going out on a date and that's all you need to know."

"But I never agreed to it."

"Oh come on, you ditched your friends after all. Now stop resisting and let's get going."

"There was an avalanche!" she defended immediately.

"I thought the ski-lift broke." He corrected with a smug smirk on his face.

Alice paused, her face reddening like a tomato. She'd forgotten about that little white lie. "The ski-lift broke in the avalanche?" she suggested hopefully.

"You're a terrible liar." He stated plainly.

She sighed dolefully "I know."

"Is a restaurant fine?" he questioned knowing that the tickets to (insert movie here) were probably sold out already.

Quite unwillingly she pushed away all hesitation and nodded at him. She figured it was about time to get to know Shun better; it had been eight years after all.

Shun led her to a huge five star restaurant. "Kazami-kun…This is-"

He cut her short. "Don't worry. It's on me."

"But do you have any reckon as to how outrageously expensive this place is?"

"Well, yeah sure. You shouldn't be this concerned about your fiancé's wallet." he teased.

"Kazami-kun…Seriously, you don't have to do this. A normal restaurant is fine, even takeout would be alright. There's no need for you to treat me to such extravagance."

He stared at her; he could tell that she didn't want to be a financial burden on him. "Fine, have it your way then. Where do you want to go? Your choice."

"Italian maybe?" she suggested hopefully.

"Done."

Time flew by as if in a daze. After dinner they emerged out of the restaurant; there was an arcade opposite to it. Shun caught Alice staring at it. "Want a go?" he asked.

Alice turned to Shun. "Seriously?"

He shrugged at her. "Why not?"

They entered the arcade and Shun slammed some money at the counter and came back with a cup of arcade coins. It was fun, trying out all the different strange arcade machines.

Alice stared on bewilderedly as Shun set a whole new whopping high-score on a ninja-samurai simulation game. And he did it so elegantly, so skillfully that half the people there were staring at him in absolute awe.

Without warning Alice pulled Shun to one of those famed dance-off machines. Shun stared at her in disbelief. "You've got to be kidding me."

"Not really."

"You expect **me **to dance, Alice?"

"Well, yeah. Remember we used to do this all the time when we were little."

"Back then we were little. Keyword little."

She chuckled. "I understand you're embarrassed. But come on Kazami-kun for old time's sake?"

He stared at her, the previous stoic expression returning to his face. "NO."

She pouted at him. "Fine." She turned away and inserted the coin into it and started dance battling some random guy who just happened to push in a coin at that very moment. Alice wiped the floor with him. She hit every step, every beat flawlessly.

After she won she walked over to Shun. "How was it?"

"You've improved…You've calmed those elephantine steps of yours."

She punched him playfully. "Don't tease me." She said blushing. "Admit it, if it was you, you would've lost too."

He shrugged nonchalantly."No amount of provocation will work against me. I am NOT going to dance in front of all these people."

"Fine…"

After about half an hour Shun walked Alice home. She turned to him, took in a deep breathe and smiled brightly. "I had fun today Kazami-kun…It would've been a perfect 'date' had it not been for the episode with blondie."

"But I saved you from that guy like your knight in shining armour." He spoke instantly. "And…" he paused.

"And?"

"I didn't mean to two-time you like that. You've got to appreciate how precious those tickets were."

She stared at him and nodded. "I'm sorry. You must've gone through so much trouble to get it… I am sorry Kazami-kun, for real."

"I know."

"That's good then." she stared at Shun almost uncertainly. They were standing in the drive way to her house. Normally in the movies it was now when the hero would kiss the heroine.

Shun studied the look on her face and felt almost amused. He leant in closer; she gulped, was this going to be the context of her first ever kiss? Her heart was pounding so hard.

Shun came closer and closer, his golden eyes locking with hers. He sensed that she was presuming a kiss. In reality he hadn't planned on kissing her so soon. However, if that was what her fantasy said, then he'd be only too glad to deliver.

She could feel his breath on her face and it only made her feel more uneasy, more flustered. His hands were placed on her shoulder and she felt a silent urge to go through with the kiss without second thoughts. Her eyes wanted to close but they remained open, watching every moment he inched closer to her.

However instead of his lips on hers she felt this soft and lingering pressure on her cheek. He'd taken a detour! Yet, that action was enough to make her heart race ever so exultantly.

She let out the breath she seemed to have been holding and Shun chuckled lightly and put his arms around her, pulling her into a hug. "Don't rush things, Alice. It's still much too early for us to kiss properly."

Her face acquired a beet red shade. "I… wasn't rushing anything!" she exclaimed. "You were the one who almost-"

"Whatever you say." He muttered into her hair. He looked up at the night sky as he tightened his embrace around her. "I thought I'd gotten over you these past few years."

"Huh?"

"Nothing." He murmured, parting from the hug. "See you later then." he said.

She nodded. "Right…"

Alice watched Shun's back silently as he walked away. After he disappeared round a corner Alice took out her keys and walked into her house.

"So does this mean we're in a relationship, now?" muttered Alice to herself as she flopped down on the couch with a somewhat dreamy sigh.

**Thanks for reading. I have no time to say any more.**

**Hope you like this chapter guys. And please do review and tell me what you think.**

**Go ahead, press the glorious REVIEW button below. Pretty please?**


	7. Chapter 7

**Yo guys, I'****m back with another chapter,,, :)**

**Thanks for reading this story thus far…. 'Expect the Unexpected' – that is life after all…Full of mysteries and…oops I should probably stop ranting.**

**On with the story. Hope you like it.**

**My Mesmerizing Mirage**

**crystal-mist**

**Chapter 7**

Days passed and Alice didn't seem as if she were in a good mood at all.

"Yo Alice…What's up with all that moping?" called out Dan ruffling the hair on the top of her head.

She took his hand away. "Nothing."

"Ooh cold. Looks like Runo's rubbing off on you." he taunted.

"You know if Runo heard that she'd kill you."

Dan quickly scanned the surroundings. "Uh not to worry…There's no one there."

Alice giggled at that. "Sure, sure…"

After Dan left, her mind once again probed on the thing that was most uncomfortably nagging her. She could still remember that 'date' clearly and also that 'almost' kiss… It had confused her, it had baffled her and most importantly it had **flustered** her.

What irritated her wasn't the fact that Shun hadn't shone up at her university gate for three straight days. But when he **did **show up on the fourth day he acted like the date had never even happened. Not only was his every action as haughty as ever, but he half ignored her whilst walking her home. He said not a single word nor did he appear to have softened in the slightest.

On the night of the 'almost' kiss she'd spent time thinking things like. 'Are we in a relationship now?', 'Will he ask me out like this often?'; 'Will he try to kiss me again?'

The Shun Kazami who'd taken her on the date was now virtually non-existent. Was it just a dream? Was it just some sort of illusion fabricated by her imagination; an illusion; a mirage?

The same routine repeated itself on the fifth day. She found herself wondering 'why' he was taking the trouble of walking her home when he never interacted with her in the first place. What was the point? Why? Even that absurd persistence of his seemed to have toned down…

A sigh escaped her lips as she decided that she would act like the date never happened as well. It was bizarre, it really was. But it wasn't like she could ask him things like 'Hey, didn't you almost kiss me the other day, so what's with the silence?'

Two more days passed and Alice really just couldn't take it anymore. "Why so quiet?" she asked.

Shun shrugged, not answering her question.

"Oh come on…Now you're going to ignore me? Why? What did I ever do to you?" she urged.

"It's not your fault." He spoke, sounding almost irritated. "A lot's been going on in my life right now; that's all."

She gulped, not knowing why she was about to say this but saying it nonetheless. "But…It feels sort of awful when you walk beside me with you're mind miles away. It's awkward."

"Well from tomorrow you can walk home alone then."

She stared at him in surprise. She didn't know if she should accept or reject that offer. On one hand, Shun coming to pick her up was a constant source of stress for her because she couldn't afford to let her friends see him. On the other hand…

She lowered her face, her expression controlled and eyes trained to the ground. "Was Kazami-kun's date with me really that horrible?" she muttered to herself.

She half jumped feeling Shun's hand on the top of her head. "It's not that…"

She raised her head and stared at Shun, her chocolate brown orbs locking with his honey gold ones.

"Seriously… It's not your fault, at all…" he paused, his eyes widening. In the next second he withdrew his hand from her hair and resumed walking.

Alice was indeed surprised. What was with these strange reactions? She struggled to catch up to him and finally when she reached his side he stopped walking. "You can walk home alone…I've got errands." He muttered before walking in the opposite direction.

Alice stared blankly at his back as Shun Kazami rounded a corner. What was wrong?

As Shun walked away, he clenched his fist. _'Since when have I been so weak?' _he thought to himself._ "I promised myself that I wouldn't be 'soft' to anyone… Then why do I comfort Alice like this? Why can't I bear to see her sad face? Why do I feel inclined to reassure her? It's time I suspended these weaknesses.'_ He looked at the sky. '_When I moved away, when I live with my other relatives I realized the extent of humane selfishness. This world revolves around money; that's all that matters. Feelings are just weaknesses, misconceptions used to fill the void in human lives…I'd vowed never to trust anyone ever again, just to give my superficial support. But with __**her**__… __Our engagement…it's nothing more than a convenient little arrangement… I don't need to fall in love or any of that damn foolishness. She's tied to me whether she likes it or not. That's all there is to it…It's nothing more than a convenient pact- whether she likes it or not.'_

The next week Shun didn't show up to pick her up. "Why am I so worked up about this?" she said to herself as she stretched.

"About what?" interceded Joe cheerfully.

"It's nothing…"

"From that tone in your voice it doesn't seem like 'nothing'." he stated, pushing his index finger to her forehead.

"I'm touched by your concern." She smiled at him brightly. "But trust me; I'll pull through."

He nodded. "Let's sure hope so…" he spoke, gently petting her hair.

Alice froze, her eyes widening. Joe's action, it reminded her of Shun just then. "Uh…I…I will." she stuttered. "For sure."

"Hm…Alice, when you left the ski-resort that day...Ever since, it's seemed as if you want to distance yourself from me…" he spoke. "Almost like there's such a lot going on you don't want to tell me, or anyone else for that matter."

"N...no." she stuttered. "There's nothing like that."

"Then what's wrong?"

"How should I say this?" she considered for a bit. "My very first love has just recently come back to town…"

Joe was taken aback. "Your first love?" he questioning instantly sounding disheartened.

"It's not like we dated or anything back then…We were only eight after all."

"Hm…"

Alice took in a deep breath as tied her hands behind her back. "We got along really well back then…And I suspect that I developed feelings for him…" she laughed lightly. "But now, he's changed. He doesn't flash his smile anymore…He's so reserved and so impulsive, I really can't predict him however hard I try…"

"Is he stalking you or something?" Joe enquired.

Alice paused and started coughing almost immediately. "O..o..of course n..not…What would make you say something like that?" she exclaimed.

"I was only joking, girl." laughed Joe. But then this serious expression set on his face. "You don't still love him, do you?" he asked skeptically.

Alice shrugged. "Who knows...?"

Joe paused; his heart was beating with regret. "So, it's a distinct possibility then." he muttered. "Seriously! Really!" he asked.

"Joe?" she called out nudging his arm. "Why so worked up all of a sudden?"

He shook his head from side to side. "No, it's nothing."

"Joe…" she urged, her chocolate eyes gleaming in determination. "Aw… come on. Now you're the one who's hiding things."

He couldn't help but smile at that adorable pout that played o her lips. "I'll tell you, perhaps later." He told her, laughing when her pout deepened.

"…"

"Now, don't mope…Alice." teased Joe, linking his arm with hers.

She stuck out her tongue but then soon broke out into laughter; he soon joined in as well. Unconsciously she walked closer to him, taking hold of his arm as well. More than ever before they looked like a happy couple enjoying a walk together, laughing together…Perfect…Made for one another…

Alice's laughter stopped abruptly, her smile froze as her eyes fell on Shun who talking to some guys in a not so friendly manner. She hadn't realized that she was in front of the Haruse University gate. She gulped. As she walked beside Joe, with her arm still linked in his she could feel the weight of Shun's gaze focused solely on her.

Each step she took made her heart beat faster. She cautiously peeped over her shoulder and her gaze locked with Shun's glare. He didn't look the least bit pleased as his intense glare bore into her.

He walked away from the other guys and started following Alice and Joe, with hands tucked in pockets, looking very displeased.

Alice gulped; her heart was beating almost painfully against her ribcage. What was she to do now? She tightened her grip around Joe's arm.

"What's wrong?"

"I..i..it's nothing…" she stuttered. "Let's hurry…I almost forgot that I needed to go back home early today."

"Oh…Sure."

They quickened their steps. Alice hoped, prayed and dreamed that Shun wouldn't catch up. But her prayers were in vain when Shun called out. "Hey; you there."

Alice hastened to quicken her pace but too late. Joe had already turned around and seen Shun.

"Yeah you." called Shun indicating Joe. "You're the weakling from before, aren't you?"

Joe narrowed his eyes. "What do _**you**_want?" he asked.

Shun smirked at him almost dangerously. "Stay out of my way. Do you understand?"

"What? I wasn't even **in** your way." answered Joe mustering his deepest roughest voice.

"Think you're a tough guy, do you?" laughed Shun scornfully as he walked over to them. He took hold of Alice's arm and pulled her out of Joe's grip.

Alice was so taken aback…Why was Shun being so forceful?

"Let's go." ordered Shun to Alice, his grave eyes locking with hers once again. She stared back at him in surprise mixed with anxiety. What would happen now?

"Hey!" called out Joe in defensive fury. "Take your filthy paws off of her."

Shun's fist made contact with Joe's jaw and the latter was sent hurtling to the ground.

Joe held his jaw gingerly. Boy, did it hurt! "I said, let her go, you pervert!" he shouted at Shun.

Once more Joe was sent to the ground. "Let…her go…I don't care what you do to hurt me…I really don't care. Just let Alice go."

"Is that right, now?" jeered Shun, positioning for yet another punch.

"STOP!" shrieked Alice in horror. "STOP…Don't hurt him…" she begged with tears in her eyes.

"So…you can't bear it if I hurt his pretty little face now, _can you_?" questioned Shun through gritted teeth.

Shun seemed really ticked off and Alice felt terrified. She took in a shaky breath. "Please Kazami-kun…" she pleaded, placing her hand on his. "Please…"

Shun stared at her, his expression betraying not a hint of anything but annoyance.

"Kazami-kun…"urged Alice.

"Fine…" he muttered taking her hand that was holding his. He pulled her closer to him. "Let's got then." he muttered proceeding to lead her away.

His grip was strong, she couldn't resist it and the look in his eyes, was it hurt?

"NO Alice…" Joe cried, stumbling to his feet and running towards her.

Alice turned to Joe and shook her head from side to side. "It's alright…I'll be fine." She muttered in a reassuring voice.

"But Alice…What are you-"

"Joe…" her voice was gentle as she stared apologetically at the nasty bruise on his face. "Remember earlier today I told you about a person, a person in my past…This is him, that same person….So, of course I'll be alright."

Joe stared at the orange-haired beauty; it was obvious to see that he was stunned. "This guy is…" he couldn't bring himself to complete the sentence. He watched wordlessly as Shun led her away. _'Your first love…'_

Shun led Alice wordlessly, his hand still gripping at hers tightly. "Ka-" she stopped short, she had no idea what to say. He ignored her.

They soon reached the driveway to Alice's house. She was about to get in when she felt Shun's hand still holding hers. He didn't show any sign of letting go.

He took a few steps forward and forced her backwards until her back was pinned against the front door of her house.

"K…k…kazami-kun?"

He brought his face closer to hers; he held her hands securely and brought his lips so painfully close to hers. No...This isn't right…No, this unstable atmosphere, this couldn't be her first kiss…this couldn't be. Tears of disbelief rolled down her eyes as she felt his lips close on hers. She couldn't resist, she couldn't move, she had frozen, she felt as if she time had stopped still inducing in her this uncomfortably icy feeling…

There was nothing remotely memorable about that kiss…nothing but the disbelief and confusion in her heart, nothing but her spinning head, nothing but the salty taste of her tears.

After a while, Shun parted. "Alice, you belong to me and don't you ever forget that." He muttered coldly, eyes locked with hers and face ever so grave. After that he just turned away and left. He left her standing there, with back still to her door, with eyes still wide in denial, with this incredulous expression on her face, with her heart breaking under the weight of all her fantasies.

Minutes after Shun Kazami had left she sank to her knees, clasping her mouth as more tears rolled down her cheeks, crying silently all by herself. Shun was cruel at having done this, why hadn't he done it on the night of their date, why _now_? Why like _this_?

Her first kiss, her expectantly anticipated first kiss...How she wished she could forget it completely.

**That's that.**

**I'm sure; most of you knew something was up the moment you saw my 'Expect the Unexpected' comment…**

**So was the twist surprising enough? Truthfully, I myself didn't see it coming…**

**Tell me what you think alright?**

**REVIEW please.**


	8. Chapter 8

**My Mesmerizing Mirage**

**crystal-mist**

**Chapter 8**

Alice sat staring at a photo of her younger self. In the picture she was about six or seven years old. There was this wide smile plastered on her face and her arms were linked with that of a boy who wore a half-frown, half-smile - his strange expression being an immediate reaction to Alice having abruptly taken his hand during the photo.

Alice glared at the raven-haired, golden-eyed boy… That's right, she officially hated Shun now. She winced inwardly as she remembered that forced kiss which left a nauseating taste of tobacco lingering in her mouth… The clock struck eight. Alice stood up; it was time to head out to university.

She wondered how she would explain the situation to Joe…She'd already admitted to Joe that Shun was her first love. Now what? Luckily, Joe didn't show up at university that day.

**XXXX**

The ornately decorated ceiling of his mansion was starting to bore him. Joe lay on the clean floor of his room, staring at the ceiling, thinking about Alice no doubt.

What was she doing at university at this particular moment? Did she even notice that he wasn't there?

Apparently Joe's rich parents had overreacted seeing the bruises on his face and forbidden him from going to university for two to three days- at the very least…Now there was no way for Joe to confront Alice about her first….love.

Joe winced as he gingerly fingered the bruise on his chin. That raven haired thug sure knew how to punch.

**XXXX**

That evening Alice walked out the gate, scanning her surroundings carefully…She didn't expect Shun to show up. And contrary to her expectations there he was, standing at his usual spot looking as cool as ever.

She held her bag tighter and sped up as she walked past Shun without so much as looking at him. She knew he'd follow her, and _of course_ he did.

He walked right beside her, his legs walking perfectly in tune to her pace. "I don't want to talk to you." Alice muttered.

"Alright, don't."

She blinked as she turned to look at Shun's face. It was expressionless. Why was he such a blank slate? How could he even achieve that level of nonchalance? Her eyes then met his. "Stop following me." She instructed firmly. She was mad at him, she really was. Why, just this morning she'd been feisty enough to rip his head off his shoulders. But now that she was actually near him she felt weak-kneed.

He raised an eyebrow at her. "That was your first kiss, I suppose."

She turned away from him, instantly walking faster, her eyebrows twitching slightly. No, she didn't want to admit it. Not to his face. He'd probably kissed loads of girls before. It was so embarrassing!

"Silence pleads guilty." He spoke casually.

""Don't you dare trivialize my feelings…" she cried. That's it, she was letting out all her pent up frustration. "You…you have no idea how much I was idealizing my first kiss…" she spoke, her voice trembling. "You'll never understand how horrible it feels…to have experienced it like 'that'! It was horrendous and I have nightmares just thinking about it…"

"..."

"What you did was uncalled for...I...was starting to trust you, I was starting to like y-"she paused midsentence, her eyes wide. She shook her head from side to side dismissing the blush on her cheeks. "Why did you? Why?"

"It was temperamental."

"It was more 'mental' than temperamental. And what's more you even had the nerve to punch my friend."

At the mention of that Shun's face darkened immediately. "There you go again." muttered Shun. "Talking about 'that' guy … You looked awful smitten together; laughing and having fun- innocent **couple**."

Alice stared blankly at Shun's face. "W…we're not a couple…" she muttered innocently. "Wait, that's not the topic here-"

"Would a better kiss now cheer you up?" he spoke, his tone still as blank as ever.

"NO!" she exclaimed putting her arms in front of her making a huge cross mark for emphasis.

"So?"

"I'm just confused, alright? One moment you're all sweet and the next you're weird... You've changed so much that I can't figure you out anymore!"

"..."

"Just…I…just want you to stay away from me for the time being…." she spoke. _'__At least; until I sort out my emotions.' s_he completed the sentence in her mind, unable to voice it out.

"Will do." He consented. "But know this, you and I are still connected."

She couldn't help but blush at that... A half-smile tugged at her lips; maybe he wasn't that indifferent after all. But then, her smile disappeared instantly after hearing his next statement- "Frankly, I don't care **who** you date, or with whom you may **mess** around with. In the end, when **I **say so- you'll have to come back to **me**, no questions asked...That's the contract."

Alice froze in her tracks...'Contract!' Why…why had he told her something like that…? She bit her lips, restraining the sentence she was just about to utter- _'__Kazami-san…Is the engagement __**all**__ that__** I**__ mean to __**you**__?' _

"You belong to me and don't you ever forget that." He muttered before walking away from her. He tucked his hands in his pocket. _'Why can't I do anything right?_' he thought to himself with a dry chuckle.

Alice just stood there, rooted to the spot. _'__I...guess, you've never cared for me, right? I was just expendable trash...__'_

Unbeknownst to the both of them, Runo was watching from the sidelines. Her aquamarine eyes were wide at having just witnessed this exchange; she was out of earshot so she only saw the expression on Alice's face.

Inquisitiveness was eating out at her that she ended up going straight to Alice's door. She knocked on the door.

"Go away!" came Alice's voice.

Runo was now officially concerned…The sweet-tempered Alice never snapped out like that. "It's me, Runo."

Alice gasped quickly running to her room to wipe her tears away. "Sorry, just…just a minute…" After a lot of fumbling she skidded to the door and opened it for Runo. "Welcome."

"What took you so long…" asked Runo walking in. "You've been crying?"

Alice froze. "What brings you here?" she asked with a forced smile, avoiding the question.

Runo sat down on the couch and looked at Alice seriously. "That guy you were with just now, isn't he the one who almost punched you the other day? Is he stalking you or something?"

Alice shook her head from side to side… She bit her lower lip and considered for a while. "I should never have hidden it…" she muttered, lowering her head. "He's…my….f….f..é."

"Fiancé!" exclaimed Runo standing up in shock. "When did he propose? When did you accept…**Why** did you accept?"

"It's not like that…It's…" And then Alice finally surrendered, telling her best-friend the entire story…Of how their parents had fixed their engagement right at birth. She also showed Runo a necklace which had a key on it, identical to Shun's. The key opened the safe that contained their engagement proof documents.

"You can just burn the documents or something, and then you can start afresh." suggested Runo. "I'll help you."

Alice smiled at her best friend's enthusiasm. "There are two sets of documents…One in my safe and one in his. As long as one exists, we are tied…"

"We'll kidnap his, then."

"It's not that simple Runo… And it's not like I used to 'mind' my engagement to him. It was natural enough, but now…I just wish that-"she stopped midsentence…What did she wish for anyway? Truth was- she herself did not know.

**XXX**

A week passed, and Shun never showed up at the gate…Alice struggled to keep him, his nasty tobacco tasting kiss and his unfeeling poisonous words out of her head.

Runo had vowed to keep the revelation a secret, for the time being.

Joe was finally back and he asked nothing about why she'd deserted him. The bruise on his face still showed and Alice felt horribly guilty…

Presently, Alice was standing in the university ground. The physical education instructor was frowning at Alice. "I didn't think that an honor student like you would be capable of this." She spoke. "I can't believe you faked your sickness to get out of P.E for three whole weeks…"

"Well I…" Alice could find no excuse to that, it was true. She'd loathed running around the ground so much that she sort of bailed, and now she'd have to face the consequences.

"Starting tomorrow young lady…You will have to run thirteen laps, just like the boys."

"What! No way, please Madam, no…I won't be able to endure it. Madam!" But sadly no amount of pleading on Alice's part would make the teacher loosen the penalty. "Rules are rules, Gehabich." Spoke the woman.

At lunch Alice was downright depressed. She had her head rested on the cafeteria table as she whined "Why me!" multiple times.

"I told you cutting class was a bad idea." came a male voice out of nowhere.

Alice raised her head only to see Joe. She smiled tiredly and motioned him to sit beside her. "You won't believe how hard it was to do the seven rounds **today**. Now tomorrow I have to do THIRTEEN!"

"Fourteen." corrected Joe.

"No way!"

"Well, you'll run fourteen if you don't want to end up covered in soup like me."

"That was a coincidence Joe."

"Yeah, right."

"I sure am **not** going to run the fourteenth round, kay?"

"We'll see." He smiled as Julie started giggling. "And Alice…" his voice was suddenly serious. "There's something I've been meaning to talk to you about."

"Hm?" she was a bit doubtful…Was he going to ask about Shun, and now, in front of Julie and Baron?

"Meet me at the coffee house on Loraine Street at four alright?"

Julie smiled inwardly. _'Finally, that __coward's making a move.'_

"Yeah…okay, sure." agreed Alice.

**XXXX**

Alice stood in front of the door that led to the café and took in a deep breath.

"On a date, Alice?" jeered Dan, popping out of nowhere.

"Kyaaah! What are you doing here?" she exclaimed.

"Just come to spy on your date."

A trace of pink dusted her cheeks. "It's…it's **not** a date Dan…" and then Alice stumbled on a weird conclusion. "Wait, who else is here to spy?"

"The whole gang." He spoke decisively.

Alice groaned in exasperation. "Honestly, you guys are totally weirding me out."

Dan smiled his wide, goofy, innocent smile. "Don't worry though…We'll stay out of hearing range. You won't even know that we're there"

"How helpful." She muttered sarcastically as she stalked into the coffee shop. She sat down at Joe's table and he started grinning seeing the look on her face. "You saw the others?"

She nodded, and he sighed "Dan wouldn't listen to reason." he then rested his chin on his hand with elbow on the table and spoke with a smile "Not that I don't want to go out on an official date with you…"

Alice blushed instantly. "Uh…"

"Anyway, that aside…You probably have an idea about what I wanted to talk."

Alice nodded, her chocolate eyes fixed on that nasty bruise on Joe's face. "Does it hurt?" she asked brushing her own chin for emphasis.

"Not really." Hearing this, Alice immediately shot him a 'don't lie to me' look and he laughed. "It's healed now…And besides I'm not saying that it didn't hurt in the past. We're talking about the present here."

"Hn…"

"So, who was that guy?" There it came, that inevitable question. The same question Runo shot to her last week… But then, admitting the fiancé scenario to Joe would be different, entirely difficult.

"Shun Kazami. My…my..my…f..f…" she couldn't bring herself to say that word, not to Joe. Wait, why?

"Your first love." Joe completed for her. She sighed with relief. Her mind told her that she should him the truth, she couldn't run away forever…The more cowardly part of her urged her to leave it at that and not tell about the fiancé part… And yes, in the end she abided the cowardly part.

"He just showed up recently….and well, he walks me home most of the days…"

"You're dating?"

"N…n…No not really."

Something about the way Alice said that didn't fully convince him. "Have you met him often?"

"A few times, yes."

"And does he know that you like/used to like him?"

"No…" she muttered but then slapped her hand on the table "That guy's such a hassle though!" she exclaimed. "I can't tell 'what' he's thinking or 'trying' to say most of the time. And he's rude and obnoxious and he makes my blood boil most of the time…."

Joe stared at the usually gentle Alice in awe. Blood boil? Who would be despicable enough to make the sweet Alice's blood 'boil'?

"Ah…I think I went overboard there." She muttered with an embarrassed blush.

"Do you still** like** him?"

"No I don't." she muttered instantly folding her arms in denial.

He raised an eyebrow at her, that heavy blush on her face was bothering him… The thought that she was probably lying upset him. So much so that he pushed aside all fear of rejection and spoke up "In that case…While we're still on the dating subject…" he braced himself, locking eyes with Alice. "Would you consent to going on one with **me**?" Alright, that might have been a bit uncalled for.

Alice was so surprised that she could only find within herself the intellect to mumble his name. "J…Joe?"

He took in a deep breath. "I like you Alice, I really do…I've felt like this for a while now…I really care for you; your smile makes my heart race and I am entranced by your every nuance..."

Alice just sat there, still in shock. Joe had a way with words alright; it made her heart race. He was so sweet. "Joe, I… I like you too…But I do doubt that your 'like' and mine are two very different things… And I'm not sure if-"

"Ah…Alice…Give…" a blush covered his face. "Give 'us' a chance…I'm not looking to tie you down…All I ask is for one date with you…Just one and afterwards, you may stay with me or leave me as you wish. I will not judge you…"

She stared at that warm understanding on Joe's face and couldn't help but smile… She had to admit that Joe was caring, so considerate. A date with him wouldn't hurt, right? Joe was an utter contrast to the grim Shun… At the thought of that name his smug voice echoed through her brain _'I don't care who you date, __or whom you may mess around with._' She took in a deep breath and pushed back all uncertainty "I can't make you any promises." said Alice… "But I'm willing to take you up on that date offer."

Joe beamed brightly at that. "Tomorrow?"

Alice returned the smile and nodded.

"I'll pick you up at five." informed Joe, sipping his coffee…Oh boy, he felt so warm, so ecstatic.

Meanwhile Shun was watching the orange-red sky whilst sitting on the rooftop of his house. "I guess, I shouldn't talked to her like that…" he muttered to himself. "But I can't... I **won't** apologize to her…There is no reason for me to go see **her** again. Shun Kazami never apologizes."

The chirping of some birds sounded far off in the distance. Shun brought one hand to his forehead and with the other pulled out a silver bracelet studded with emeralds out of his pocket. "If I have no intention of seeing her again in the **near** future…." he muttered vacantly. "Why did I buy this earlier today?"

**I've posted two chapters in a row...So please if it's not much trouble could you review this one before moving onto the next? Thank you.**

**Don't forget to REVIEW.**


	9. Chapter 9

**For those who haven't noticed...I** **published two chapters in a row so there is one chapter before this one as a fresh update. :)**

**My Mesmerizing Mirage**

**crystal-mist**

**Chapter 9**

**Unlucky Thirteen**

Alice huffed and puffed struggling to keep her breath as she ran around the university ground for the tenth time. "Three more...just three more." She muttered in a feeble attempt to motivate herself.

By the time she'd finished the twelfth round she was exhausted. Just as she completed the thirteenth round she cried out in joy and walked shakily to the little patch of grass where the other girls were sitting.

"Alice...Thirteen's unlucky." cooed Julie.

"Give...me...a...break...Ju...I...can...hardly...breathe..." muttered Alice amidst her panting.

"Joe's doing fourteen rounds today." stated Runo pointing at Joe's determined expression.

"Looks like he's gathering all the good luck he can get for later today. Don't you think you should do the same Ali?" winked Julie.

Alice turned away from her overenthusiastic silver-haired friend with a slight blush. "Things will be just fine."

Later that evening Joe took her out to a movie. It was a crime-drama with hints of romance. Being in the book club together he really knew exactly what kind of movie would interest Alice and he put that knowledge to good use. After that they went to a casual pizzeria and ordered an extra cheesy pizza with extra toppings on it.

"Trying to fatten me up?" joked Alice with a giggle.

"Wouldn't dream of it." answered Joe with a sweet smile.

Alice couldn't help but blush at that look on his face. He looked so dreamy and he treated her so sweetly. He was an utter contrast to Shun.

Shun, who only ever uttered harsh sentences, who only ever acted on sudden whim, who only ever frowned, who only ever made her heart race without even knowing it...

And just like that the date was over. Joe offered to walk Alice home but she declined. "Your mansion is a long way away...You should just take the bus from here. I'll be just fine on my own, don't worry."

"But still Alice...You shouldn't be-"

"I've walked through these streets all alone at night plenty of times before...So don't be paranoid..."

A bus came to a halt and Alice half-pushed Joe inside and waved goodbye. "I had fun today, thanks."

Joe smiled back. "I'm glad..." he took in a deep breath. "I love you."

Before he could solicit a response the bus had started moving and its engine purred as it hurtled down the path. Alice stared after the bus, her hand at her heart. "Joe..." she whispered, still transfixed in stupefaction.

"Wasn't that touching." came a sarcastically dry comment from right beside her. Alice whirled around in alarm only to find Shun there, standing just a few feet away. "Just like a scene from one of those chick-flicks...Go on, why don't you run behind the bus yelling 'I love you too', it's convention you know."

Alice struggled to find her voice. "That's just ridiculous." She blurted out.

"You think?" he muttered moving closer to her. "And don't you think this'll be too cliché as well?" He took hold of her hand and pulled her closer.

"What are you-"

"I'm a very possessive person, you know Alice."

"...Wh...what."

"I may have told you that I didn't care 'who' you messed around with...But you dating someone the very next day; that makes my blood boil...I'm not really very pleased right now, especially considering the fact that you chose **him**." he twirled a bit of her orange-hair between his fingers. "He's such a wimp, you know."

"Let me go..."

"You can't command me like that." he whispered into her ear. "You're mine and don't you ever forget that."

"I'm not an object to own, you know." She snapped, trying to push him away with all her might.

Just for the fun of it Shun let her win and moved away from her. "Then perhaps your mother should've thought about it before begging my parents for the engagement."

"Don't you dare talk about my mother like that." shrieked Alice. "She was diagnosed with cancer... And she...she was scared that I'd end up having to leave all alone... That was why... that was why she asked for the engagement." Tears rolled down her pale cheeks. "My mother, she was just looking out for my future."

"..."

"She...she probably had no idea that she was condemning me to something so unpleasant..." Alice spoke without thinking. "She probably had no idea that the sweet little boy would turn into this...into this...into this-"

"This monstrosity?" he completed for her, his voice hard and harsh. Oh yeah, something within him had just snapped. "Well, news flash...Things have changed, reality has set in... **This **is what I've turned out to be... I don't trust anyone nor does anyone me. It's not like anyone would care if I just crawled up in some dark forgotten corner of the world and dropped dead ... And it's not like I mind being all alone in this damn freaking world...Shun Kazami...has no one...Shun Kazami **needs** no one... Not you, not anyone..."

"Kazami-kun...You-"

"Don't say anything..." he muttered in a low tone. "Just forget it... You know, I can **see** your face...Multiple times I've noticed that you never smile when by my side; all you do is cry and cry... But when you're with that guy...there's this excessive smile upon your face...Something, I've never been given the luxury of viewing since ten years ago... " he stopped short, realizing that he might have exposed his heart to her a bit more than what was necessary.

Alice stared at Shun in dismay; behind all that nonchalance, behind all that elevated self-confidence, was he just lonely? She went upon instinct and moved forwards, encircling her arms around him. "You're not alone." she whispered softly.

Shun's eyes widened as he heard that statement escape her lips. He couldn't comprehend why his heart was beating so fast. But like always he did something tactless. He pried himself from her arms and pushed her away. "Stop...Why say something so hypocritical? Admit it, inside that sweet head of yours you're secretly wishing that I'd drop dead." he spoke with a wry chuckle.

"No...Kazami-kun-"

"I don't need you!" he exclaimed as he turned on his heel and walked away. Alice reached out to him; she didn't want her childhood friend to hurt this much, to live such a lonely existence. She ran after him blindly... "Kaza-" her voice stopped short as the deafening sound of a blaring horn filled the air. Before Alice could figure out what was happening she found herself pushed to the ground. The squealing of brakes filled the air. A bang sounded as a jeep spun to a stop against a lamppost. Alice sat up shakily only to see Shun about two feet away in a pool of blood.

"No!" she shrieked in horror.

It was only then she realized what had happened. "Someone please call an ambulance! PLEASE!" she shrieked as she ran to Shun who was laying there with half-open eyes. "You alright?" he managed to ask before falling unconscious.

The red lights of the ambulance blazed and the sirens blared deafeningly as they carried the now unconscious Shun inside.

As the ambulance sped away to a nearby hospital Alice fell to her knees...They had refused to take her along...Was Shun alright? Fresh tears streamed out of her cheek as she stumbled to her feet and called a taxi.

When she'd run after Shun, she apparently hadn't paid attention that she'd been crossing a busy street. When she stepped onto the road, a jeep had been speeding in her direction; on a collision course...**She **was the one who'd be hit, until Shun did his little intervention... Without even thinking, he'd pushed her out of the way and the jeep hit **him** before he could himself jump to safety.

Alice rushed through the reception. Two nurses stopped her. "I'm sorry miss, but you can't just barge in here."

"Shun Kazami..." begged Alice "Please...let me see him..."

The receptionist went through her list. "A car accident? He's in the Intensive Care Unit...He's in a life/death situation...We can't let outsiders see him, only authorized family members can enter..."

Alice stopped struggling, realizing that they wouldn't let her in... She raised her head and pushed back her tears. "Then let me in." she announced. "Because, Shun Kazami is my fiancé."

"We've heard a lot of tricks. But no one's pulled 'fiancé' card before." chuckled one of the nurses. "If you are indeed engaged then where's your engagement ring?"

"We...we don't have one."

"I thought so..." chuckled the other nurse. "We can't let you inside...But wait here if you want."

Alice glared at the nurse through her tears. How dare she mock her in such a situation! Alice walked shakily to the waiting seat and flopped down it. She buried her face in her palms as tears emerged from her eyes. "Please be alright...Kazami-kun...Please..."

A faraway clock struck twelve. Alice listened to each clang as her heart continued to quake in a mixture of fear, agony and apprehension. "Please wake up...Kazami-kun. If something happened to you on my account, then...then...I..."

Back in the ICU Shun's eyes stirred and they slowly drew open. The doctor and nurses in the room heaved a sigh of relief as they had succeeded in saving yet another young man's life. The doctor asked him to rest and left the room

Shun stared at the ceiling and brought a hand to his forehead. "I woke up? What a pity..." he murmured to himself.

The door slowly drew open and a nurse peeped through it. "A young woman with orange-hair has been sobbing at the reception for quite a while now asking to see you...Her name is Alice Gehabich. May I know who she is?"

Shun blinked at the nurse. "Fiancée..." he answered in a low tone.

"Oh...So she was speaking the truth..." muttered the nurse to herself suddenly feeling guilty. "I'll ask her to come in then."

"No." spoke Shun instantly. "Ask her to leave."

"But sir...Isn't she-"

"Must I repeat my previous statement?" he asked.

"Well...why don't you want to see your fiancée?"

"That doesn't concern you...Tell her not to deceive me with her compassion."

The nurse was quite displeased with his rudeness but she nodded all the same. She walked up to Alice. "Shun Kazami has woken up..."

Alice's face brightened as she stood up. "Oh thank you dear Lord!" she exclaimed.

"He asked you to leave."

Alice froze and stared at the nurse in shock...Her face lost its happiness. "Hm..." tears cascaded down her cheeks as she bit her lower lips.

"He asked you to restrain your compassion." spoke the nurse intentionally avoiding the term 'deceive'.

Alice wiped away her tears. "He doesn't want to see me, then?" she turned to the ground. "You know, that jeep...it was supposed to hit me...But he...he took it instead...The person inside that ICU was supposed to be me...But he saved my life... And now...he doesn't want to see me...Tell him that I'm sorry. "

The nurse instantly felt sorry for her, she sensed the heartbreak in Alice's voice. "Tell you what... Come back tomorrow and I'll see if I can get you inside by hook or by crook."

Alice gazed at the woman gratefully. "Honest?"

"Uh-huh. Now go back home and get some rest. You've been crying all night." said the nurse putting a hand on Alice's shoulder. "He'll be fine now."

Alice didn't know why but she couldn't possibly get a wink of sleep so despite the bags under her eyes, despite her exhaustion she headed out for university.

During the book-club meeting Alice was half-asleep and wasn't paying the slightest bit of attention. At lunch Joe took hold of her hand and pulled her out into the lawn.

"Alice, what's wrong with you? You seem so aloof and you look so exhausted."

She shook her head from side to side, a forced smile on her face. "It's nothing...I just have a horrible headache."

"Did you overstrain yourself?"

"Perhaps..." she rubbed her forehead for emphasis. "Please Joe; I'll be fine...Don't worry."

'_When you're with me all you do is cry and cry but with him there's this overly excessive smile on your face...it annoys me.'_ Shun's words echoed in her mind. _'I don't need anyone, not you, not anyone!'_

"And Joe..." she called out.

'Hn?"

She stopped short. "No, it's nothing...Never mind." She walked away leaving a puzzled Joe staring after her.

That day at P.E, the instructor insisted that Alice once more run thirteen rounds...

"But please madam...Alice isn't well...Just look at her, she's worn out!" defended Joe.

"If she is in need of an attorney then I will let you know. But for the time being I'd appreciate if you were quiet." spoke the teacher to Joe as everyone laughed.

Joe watched as Alice only bowed before embarking on the thirteen rounds. She barely managed to keep her eyes open; breathing became harder with every step... She coughed as she huffed past the twelfth round and finally completed the thirteenth.

Just as she reached past the finish line she felt faint. She half-collapsed onto Joe who was standing at the end.

"Alice...You alright?" he muttered as he supported her weight.

Alice could feel her vision getting blurry but then the memory of screeching brakes, blaring horns and Shun's blood flooded her mind.

She pried herself from Joe's grip and looked exhaustedly at the ground before starting another round.

"Alice!" Joe cried pulling her to a stop. "What do you think you are-"

"Don't stop me!" she cried, tears in her eyes.

Joe stared at her in awe. "But I...Alice!"

She pulled her arm away from him. "Don't stop me...I need to...complete fourteen rounds..." and with that, she started running once more.

As she struggled to put one leg in front of the other she knew that she was probably being silly, attributing what happened to Shun as bad luck...But then, if her thirteen rounds brought him more bad luck...then... then... Sweat ran down her forehead and she could feel her head hurting horribly.

She was close...Just a few more steps...She had to make it. But then, her body couldn't have picked a worse time to bail out on her. As her vision blurred beyond recognition she lunged herself forwards, collapsing onto the ground. With that final lunge her body barely passed the finish line. For the record- she'd completed fourteen rounds.

Joe and Runo ran over to Alice, who was now laying on the dirt. "She has a high fever..." muttered Runo.

"Why...was she so determined on running the fourteenth round?"

A teacher volunteered to drive Alice to a hospital. Runo sat in the back seat with Alice laying her head on her lap. Joe had to stay behind. On the way Alice briefly opened her eyes. Tugging onto Runo's arms she whispered- "Take me to Fukuzawa hospital..."

"But Alice...Ogasawara hospital is closer." (A/N: Hospital names are fictitious, any resemblance to real life is merely a coincidence so please don't sue me.)

"Please...Runo." begged Alice. Fukuzawa hospital was where Shun was...And that's where she wanted to go...The nurse had promised to let her see Shun... And she wanted to...

She wanted to see Shun Kazami, the one who put himself in front of a jeep to save her, the one she had unknowingly hurt with her actions...Sure, Shun had hurt her countless times...But she would overlook that... Because she wanted to thank him, she didn't want him to feel alone- not anymore.

**Thanks for reading...**

**Happy Valentines day all! I wanted to write a valentines special fic but ended up writing a horror story mwahaha... Weird neh?**

**Anyways, have fun. And tell me what you think about my theme written below. –'It was almost funny actually...What better way to spend valentines day than with a guy who used to 'like' you but now that you 'like' him has moved on- heavy sarcasm intended.'**

**REVIEW please.**


	10. Chapter 10

**I'm finally back.**

**Sorry for the delay.**

**Thanks for reading.**

**My Mesmerizing Mirage**

**crystal-mist**

**Chapter 10**

"Will you finally tell me what's bothering you, Alice?"

"Will you let me leave the room, Runo?"

"I can't... Do you have any idea how high your fever is? And on top of that, you're fatigued! You're so famished that glucose has to be pumped into you! Why would you want to-"

"**He's** here...And I want to see him."

"What?"

Runo just sat there, wide-eyed as Alice related to her about the accident. After Alice had finished, Runo stood up from her seat. "He refuses to see you, hey?"

"But Runo..." Alice stared at her blue-haired friend in surprise. That look, she knew that determined look all too well. And nothing good ever came out of it.

"Don't cry anymore, kay?" said Runo as she walked out the door whilst ignoring all words of protest that escaped the orange-haired Russian's lips.

After the door clicked to a close Alice turned her attention to the 'thing' that was still feeding her glucose. She couldn't sneak out, not until she figured out how to detach that contraption from her wrist.

One thing Runo learnt from her attempt to sneak into Shun's room was that the hospital staff albeit being uptight was very careless. So much so that she managed the supposedly unfeasible feat with extraordinary ease.

Immediately after entering the room she came face to face with the raven haired guy in question.

"Wrong room." he commented wryly.

"Not necessarily." answered Runo with a not so sweet smile. This guy, he was the root of all Alice's problems. It was his fault that Alice was hurting so much. But her mocking smile soon vanished upon seeing his injuries. He was draped in bandages here there and everywhere. "You're battered up pretty bad." there was a hint of sympathy in her voice.

"..."

"I'll get right down to business then- why didn't you let Alice see you? Do you have idea how much that action of yours hurt her?"

A hint of surprise momentarily crossed his features at the mention of the word 'hurt'. But a frown soon replaced it "And why would **I** answer to you?"

"You **are **arrogant, aren't you?"

He snorted at that. "So?"

Runo exhaled in frustration. "Alice... **wants** to see you. She feels guilty for what's befallen you."

Shun laid his head back down on the pillow. "If so, then she'd have already snuck in here like a 'certain someone'."

"I'm Runo Misaki." answered the bluenette knowing full well that he'd been referring to her with the 'certain someone' title.

"Hn..."

"Alice has a fever."

"How life-threatening!" exclaimed Shun, sarcastically. "She shouldn't be that bothered about me anyway." He added under his breath.

Runo tried her hardest to ignore his sarcasm. After all, she wasn't the most patient person in the universe: she had a very **very **short fuse, and it could go off at any moment. "Listen... Alice is worried about you. Despite what anyone may say...I can sense it in her actions, she genuinely cares for you."

Shun was stunned for a second or two. _'You're not alone, Kazami-kun'_- that's what she'd told him. Although he hadn't let it show, those words alone had shaken his heart and almost taken his breath away. He shook his head free from those thoughts. "I...don't want to see her face." he lied bitterly. "I don't want to experience that aggravating compassion she radiates."

And that was the exact moment something within Runo snapped. "You don't **deserve** to, either." she muttered, stalking out of the room.

Runo took in a deep breath. One thing was for sure, talking to that guy was stressful- it couldn't be good for people with high blood pressure.

To her surprise a nurse was standing outside Alice's room. She stopped Runo from entering. "Miss Gehabich is asleep with a very high fever at the moment. We can't permit visitors, please understand."

Runo nodded, realizing that sneaking in wasn't an option- not when there was a nurse practically guarding the entrance. "Please take good care of her." said Runo with a bow. "I'll come visit first thing tomorrow."

"Alright."

**Alice's P.O.V**

I guess it must've been the anxiety- because a few minutes after Runo left for Kazami-kun's room I suddenly felt a hell of a lot worse. My head was spinning, and I was aware that my fever must've gone up a couple of degrees in the very least. I settled on the bed and closed my eyes, hoping to stall the throbbing. It was hot and very uncomfortable, it felt almost as if I were entrapped in a furnace, I couldn't sleep, I couldn't breathe, I couldn't do anything but endure it.

That was, until I heard the worried murmurs of a doctor and a few nurses. They put another ice pack on my throbbing head and in a minute or two I felt a needle penetrate into my forearm- probably a sedative or painkiller. But soon after that, I uncontrollably drifted off into sleep, peaceful sleep...How nice.

Breathing suddenly became much less complicated. It felt nice, continuing in that state of slumber.

Then there was a faint creak, almost as if someone had slid the door open. It was probably one of the doctors checking up on me, or it was probably a dream. I say 'probably' because I was still much too tired to open my eyes and confirm what was happening.

There was a faint 'dragging' sound, was it? And then the next thing I knew, I felt a hand on my forehead. That's right, they were checking my fever. But then that warm hand gently stroked my forehead, tenderly running those caring fingers through my fringe. Wait, was a doctor 'supposed' to do that? But I was still queasy from whatever they'd injected into me. I couldn't think straight nor could I open my eyes. All I could concentrate on was that illogical sadness I felt when the hand moved away. Did it even make sense?

And then, that 'person' took hold of my free hand. I felt a strange pressure, and the next thing I knew my wrist was in contact with something mildly cold and metallic. What was it? Some sort of machine to monitor my condition?

"Get well soon." came a voice. A sweet voice, a voice I couldn't place- what with the queasiness I felt it was a wonder I'd **heard** it at all. And wait, what was that I felt on my right cheek? Was it a kiss? It felt **so much** like an ever so slightly lingering, sweet kiss. Impossible!

I could vaguely make out that strange dragging sound again before the door clicked to a close.

What had just happened? I was feeling dizzy despite my closed eyes and my head was whirling in perplexity.

After God knows how long I finally woke up. I felt refreshed and the fever seemed to have subsided quite nicely. But then, realization struck me like a bolt of lightning.

**Author's P.O.V**

Alice stared at the window absentmindedly but soon her hand flew to her right cheek, clasping it tightly, her chocolate orbs widened in alarm. Had 'that' really happened? Had some anonymous guy really sneaked in and given her a kiss? She felt freaked out and instantly stared at each of the doctors' faces in alarm.

"What's wrong?"

She shook her head from side to side." Nothing, nothing." she reassured them- silently reassuring herself that it had only been a dream.

A nurse came over to her and detached the needle that was feeding glucose into her wrist. Good, once that contraption was detached then she'd be able to sneak around to her heart's content. Victory at last! But her mental celebration came to a sudden shocking halt as she noticed something clinging onto her left wrist.

'It' felt oddly cold and metallic...'It 'felt just like the thing 'that person' had put on her. And worst of all she'd never ever seen 'it' before. 'It' was a silver bracelet studded with emeralds and 'it' looked really expensive.

Alice almost forgot to breathe as she stared at the bracelet...Someone **had **visited her, someone **had **stroked her hair...so lovingly, someone **had** placed the most gentle kiss on her right cheek... But who **was** that someone? She felt an odd mixture of surprise, curiousity and alarm... What if a doctor was hitting on her...and...

She stopped her thoughts short when Runo came barging cheerfully into the room with Dan, Baron and Julie behind her.

And then, the hospital room was so filled with chatter and laughter that Alice absolutely had no time to deliberate over the strange emerald bracelet, or the reason why **Joe **hadn't come to visit, or even the idea of sneaking into Shun's room.

When Alice finally did manage to get away from her friends' circle and into Shun's room, it was empty. He'd already vacated it. Alice laid her forehead dejectedly on the bedpost. "Why, why must I always have such bad timing? Kazami-kun, do you hate me now?" It would be very hard to see him again, considering the fact that she didn't know where he lived. She made up her mind that she'd stake out Haruse University if she had to. Little did she know that the actual benefactor of the bracelet was Shun himself. The _dragging_ sound had been Shun struggling to walk with crutches attributing to his broken leg.

The day after the next Alice finally managed to go back to university. The P.E teacher issued a heartfelt apology to Alice for having 'failed to notice' her fatigue.

Presently Alice stood in front of a door. Not just any door, but the door of the literary club; the door on the other side of which sat Joe 'supposedly' engrossed in a book.

She took in a deep breath before knocking softly at the half-open door. "May I come in?"

Joe raised his eyes from his book and smiled at her. "Since when do you knock?"

"Because..." she paused, not knowing how to proceed. "You ignored me in class all day."

"I did not." he defended immediately.

Alice pulled a chair right in front of him and sat there. "You did too...You also...didn't come visit me in the hospital." she spoke, masking her blush.

"Well that's beca-"

"Everyone **else** came!"

Joe stared at Alice, their gazes locking and he couldn't help but to give in. "I had a reason..."

"Huh?"

"The thing is..." Joe paused, his face looking so distant all of a sudden. "That day when you were running the fourteen rounds...and when I tried to stop you...You totally shooed me off." He propped his chin on his palm and turned his gaze towards Alice. "You treated me as if I were an outsider... You pushed me away so blatantly and it was plain to see that you didn't want me to interfere."

Alice stared at Joe wordlessly. That sadness in his eyes only made her feel guiltier. "Joe, I..."

"I was afraid..." continued Joe, ignoring her failed attempt at framing a sentence. "Afraid that you'd treat me like that again. That's why I didn't come to see you and 'ignored' you. Forgive me."

"No. I'm sorry... I didn't realize that I'd...well-" In actuality She was so set on completing the rounds that she hadn't actually 'noticed' that it was Joe who tried to hold her back from running. But she couldn't tell him that now, could she?

"Never mind..." spoke Joe, his face suddenly lighting up in a smile. "You're feeling better?"

"Uh-huh." she answered glad that Joe had brightened up.

"That's good then." whispered Joe, leaning forwards and touching his forehead to hers. "I'm glad."

Alice held her breath as her eyes locked with Joe's. She couldn't deny that her heart was beating so fast. The best thing was that comforting aura that radiated from him. He gave her a feeling of protection, like she was safe, like she needn't worry about anything when she was with him.

"You're so different..." she whispered softly.

"Who're you comparing me to?" he asked, his heart already afloat with joy.

Alice's eyes widened as she realized that she'd been comparing Joe to Shun just now. She immediately pulled her face away, doing all she could to mask the embarrassment and/or astonishment.

Joe watched dreamily as Alice hurried to a nearby bookshelf. She was blushing quite profusely, as was he.

True to her plan Alice staked out Haruse University day after day but Shun never emerged from the gates. Well, from Runo'd told her Shun was quite seriously injured so he might not have recovered yet. But then, that searing guilt/concern wouldn't let Alice rest. So Alice would wait for him everyday at the gate after her classes.

Days turned into weeks and soon an entire month had passed by.

On this particular day Alice had ended up waiting until eight in the evening. She sighed heavily as she started walking in the direction of her house. Another day, another failure.

Quite suddenly a black Porsche skidded to a stop right near her. She sped up her pace but the Porsche only sailed right beside her. The window slowly drew open revealing the face of a man. She couldn't see the face since it was still hidden in semi-darkness.

Alice gulped as she broke out into a sprint, knowing full well that Porsches would easily catch up with sprinting college girls.

"You getting in or what?" called out a male voice impatiently.

Alice immediately came to a halt and whirled around. "Kazami-kun!" she exclaimed in relief.

"Get in." he instructed simply.

Alice obeyed him without another word. The car sped away in the direction of her house. She kept staring at her lap, she couldn't stop her fingers from trembling or her stomach from doing somersaults.

"You've recovered?" she asked softly.

"Hn..."

"Kazami-kun, please answer me."

"Let's put it this way- thanks to you I had to buy a new car."

"Oh..." her voice dropped remembering how Runo's mentioned a broken leg. It probably still hurt him to walk. "I'm sorry...so sorry."

"Yeah whatever...Don't get me wrong. I'm only dropping you home because it's late; it's an 'obligation' as you put it before."

"I understand that." she spoke, still staring at the floral patterns on her skirt. "But then, why did Kazami-kun do 'that'?"

"That?"

"Why did you save me? Why did you throw yourself in front of a moving vehicle for me?"

"Don't flatter yourself. It wasn't something that I'd fully intended to do. It was just **reflex**. If I were ever given a second chance to live out **that **moment I would've let you get squashed by that vehicle." he spoke harshly.

Alice's face bore and extremely defected expression. She dropped her gaze and stared at her own hands. "Really?" she asked.

Shun pulled the car to a halt in front of a café. He closed his eyes slowly "Not **really**...That was a lie." he muttered closing the window with his face turned away from her. "No matter how many times that moment may repeat..." his eyes locked with hers. "You'd still be safe."

"Kazam-"

"Coffee." he cut her short. "My treat." he motioned at the café.

She blinked at him before breaking out into a smile. "Thank you."

"Idiot!" Shun chuckled. "Why would you thank someone like me?"

**Yeah, so I had to stop it there. I'm sure all of you've noticed that Alice is really more than just a bit "confused" heehee.**

**Tell me what you think and please Review.**


	11. Chapter 11

**This chapter is really short. So I apologize in advance.**

**My Mesmerizing Mirage**

**crystal-mist**

**Chapter 11**

**Unexpected**

Alice fingered at her coffee cup nervously as she lifted her gaze to meet Shun's. Somehow she still couldn't believe this sudden string of kindness he was exhibiting.

"What?" he questioned with a raised eyebrow.

She shook her head from side to side, lifting the cup to her lips and testing the warmth before sipping it. "You're staying alone, right?"

"Uh-huh."

"What about cooking and cleaning?"

"Hm? Cleaning, well the house is an absolute mess. And for cooking, isn't that what instant noodles is for?"

Alice couldn't help but giggle at the way he put that, just like the Kazami-kun of long ago. "Today, I'll cook for you." she declared.

Shun was completely taken by surprise. Just when did all the tension from their previous fight evaporate? "Why would I let you?" he muttered.

"Obligation." she spoke simply, shooting him a bright smile.

"Obligation, huh?"

**XXX**

While in the car Alice had to do a far share of irritating to finally get Shun to agree to her proposition.

It turned out that Shun was staying in this really huge apartment and it was an absolute mess just like he'd said.

Alice soon started clearing up the books strewn on the coffee table. She froze when Shun took hold of her hand, standing right in front of her. "You said you'd cook, not clean." he muttered, his face painfully close to hers.

"Uh...Yes..." blurted out Alice, blushing petty profusely. Slowly and almost unwillingly she pulled her hand from Shun's grip and hurried to the kitchen. She gasped, the only thing in the kitchen were numerous unopened cans of instant noodles. "Seriously, is that all you eat?"

Shun shrugged, appearing at the kitchen door, leaning on it for support. "I hate cooking."

"This kitchen doesn't even have **salt**!" she exclaimed, genuinely shocked.

"Well-"

"That's it!" she declared, stalking out and pointing her finger at Shun's chest. "We're going to my place and you're going to eat some decent food for once."

"What are you, my mother? And you expect me to walk so much with this broken leg?"

"I forgot... I'm so sorry..." she spoke, looking at his leg with a sad expression. "It's my fault, and-"

"Okay, okay. Hold it, I'm not 'that' injured. I was just over exaggerating alright?" he cut her short, walking towards her. "See...I'm not limping anymore."

"Then, let's order home delivery from one of those restaurants." suggested Alice, rummaging within her purse for her cell.

Shun thought it best not to argue as he sat down on the couch. He watched silently as Alice paced up and down the room, placing her order. After having completed she snapped the phone shut and shot him a victory symbol. "They'll be here in an hour."

Shun wondered why she was doing all his for him. Sure, he saved his life but he'd given her a fair share of cruel words and reduced her to tears many a time ...But then again, Alice Gehabich had always been unnaturally kind and he **hated** it, or did he?

He stood up and walked to the balcony. He took in a deep breath as his head revolved in a strange confusion. He dug in his pocket and took out his lighter. He took out a cigarette and put it to his lips but before he could light it Alice pulled it away. She held the unlit cigar between her thumb and forefinger while looking at him disapprovingly. "You should quit." she stated simply.

Shun only just leaned closed to her. "Why?" he questioned huskily.

"You just should." she answered, her face turning scarlet. "It's not good for your health."

"And you think I care about that?"

"Well, you should."

"The sooner I die the better. So give it back."

"Stop saying such things!" Alice half-shouted. "I won't..."

Shun moved away from her, after walking a foot or two away he displayed a packet full of cigarettes. "I have more, you know." He took out another one and placed it between his lips, smiling smugly. But the smile soon disappeared as he saw the tears in her eyes.

"My mother...she died of cancer, you know that, right?" she spoke in a low voice as the tears rolled down her cheeks. "And I don't want...that to happen to Kazami-kun-" she sobbed, "-or anyone else I know, for that matter." she added hastily.

Shun sighed as he withdrew the cigar from his lips and put it back in the packet. "Alright, stop crying." he said, holding the packet at the edge of the balcony. "Let's strike a bargain."

Alice looked at him questioningly.

"I'll throw them away," spoke Shun, calmly. "In exchange for a kiss."

"You're cruel." muttered Alice, her face pouting adorably.

"I know...but it's your second kiss, it shouldn't be that meaningful anymore." he said. Teasing her was just so enjoyable.

"But still..." she stared at him smirk. "Alright." she exclaimed hastily as Shun once more proceeded to light a cigar.

Shun bent down a little and waited as she approached him. Her eyes locked with his and her blush only deepened in intensity as she proceeded closer to his face. At the last moment Alice pulled back, she kissed the palm of her hand and then placed it on Shun's face. "Indirect kiss." she declared with a bright smile. Catching him off-guard, she snatched away the box and then flung it off the balcony.

"You..." Just then the doorbell rang.

"Kazami-kun, dinner is here..." announced Alice as she skipped to the door.

He just stood there, frozen in place, staring at her as she rushed off. "Indirect kiss?" he couldn't help but burst out into laughter. She was 'special' alright. He wouldn't admit it, but just the sight of her smile warmed his heart like it'd never been warmed before.

After dinner Alice washed up the dishes and spent a considerable amount of time arranging the messy pile of instant noodle cups. Who knew there were actually fifteen different flavors of instant noodles?

"I'll take the bus." Alice reassured Shun. "You're leg is broken so I shouldn't trouble you... And also, now I finally know where you live." she said, smiling.

"Next time..." spoke Shun, still somewhat mesmerized by her sweet smile. "I want to eat **your **cooking."

Alice blinked at Shun, the deep scarlet once more dusting her cheeks. "Uh...Sure." she started descending the stairs, her heart racing like anything.

"And Alice..."

"What is it?" she asked turning to him once more.

"Next time..." he smiled, softly. "I won't settle for an indirect kiss either."

"No way, no way." she said in a sing song voice before breaking about into a sprint.

When she reached the ground floor she stopped running. She closed her eyes, her hand at the base of her neck. What was this unnaturally warm and fuzzy feeling in her heart?

**XXX**

"Hey, hey, hey... Looks like something good happened to you." chimed Julie, poking Alice's forehead.

"Uh...uhm...not really." stuttered Alice.

"Don't kid me...I can understand a girl in love when I see one."

"A girl in **love**?" Alice repeated, her eyes widening.

"A girl in love." confirmed Julie.

"Love?" Alice muttered again.

Julie sighed exasperatedly. "Wow, you're that far gone? I don't think you're even paying attention to me, Ally."

"Uh...I'm sorry." muttered Alice, straightening up. "It's nothing of the sort..."

"Sure, sure...Anyways, you and Joe will make a great couple. Seriously, you're like made for each other!"

"Joe!" Alice exclaimed.

"You going deaf?" asked Julie, starting to get annoyed. But then the annoyance was immediately replaced by incredulity. "It's someone else?" half-yelled the silver-haired girl, unable to contain her curiosity.

"Uh..." Alice paused. "Stop jumping to conclusions, Ju... I admit, I'm spaced out... But that doesn't necessarily mean that I'm deliberating about love, or even that I'm thinking about a guy for that matter."

"But you are thinking about a guy." persisted Julie, her eyes fixed on Alice's. "I can see through it."

"It's not LOVE!" announced Alice before turning heel and walking away.

Julie smiled at her best friend's back. _'__It's no use denying...If it isn't love, then why were you blushing, Ally?' _thought Julie. Julie then pumped her fist into the air. "Our little girl is finally growing up!" she declared only to receive the overly suspicious looks of her school-mates.

That evening Alice was more than a little surprised when she saw Shun's car parked outside her university gate. "Uh...That's my ride. Sorry, I got to go." she told the girls beside her before hurrying to the car.

She opened the door and got inside. "This is a surprise." She said, eyeing the golden eyes guy beside her with a smile.

"Yeah, yeah." he muttered, averting his gaze away from hers. _'__At this rate...You'll end up being my one and only weakness.'_ he thought to himself.

Joe was walking on his way home when he witnessed this. Alice was getting into a car he'd never seen before. He sped up his pace to take a look at who she was going with so calmly but was too late; the vehicle had already sped away.

The group of girls that Alice had earlier been with turned to Joe and giggled. "Looking for Alice?"

"Uh...well...yeah..."

"She said that her 'ride' was here... That's probably her boyfriend." spoke one girl.

"Seriously, a nerd like you could never compare with whoever own a car like 'that'." said another.

"Yeah, it's probably a cute guy with piercings and tattoos."

"Can you really picture our sweet Alice going out with a 'bad-guy' type?"

"Well, it's all the rage in mangas."

Joe sweat-dropped as he walked away; girls were easily distracted and now they'd forgotten that he was standing right there and started discussing some shoujo manga. But then again, their statements: '_That's her boyfriend'_ and _'You can't compare to whoever he is',_ really bothered him. Especially because, though he hated to admit it, Alice had been hiding something 'major' from him.

He'd noticed the way she was slowly sort of 'drifting away' from his reach. And worst yet, she hadn't even answered his confession yet. It was almost as if she'd forgotten how he'd told her that he loved her.

To him it felt horrible, living in suspense like this.

**Like I said, this is super short. SO yeah sorry but I needed to end it here.**

**The thing is, some of my relatives are visiting at home and so I'm in 'enjoy the vacation with no stops' mode. In other words I haven't been getting much time to write partially because my persistent cousins hang around me especially when I turn the computer on (they want to play games) So this was written in a hurry when the youngest ones were napping :)**

**Sorry for the mistakes.**

**Please REVIEW.**

**Take care~~~**


	12. Chapter 12

**Finally back from the official MIA. **

**Missed me?**

**Anyways, I fell really guilty for having made you all wait for so long (ie. If any of you waited...and still remember me ^^)**

**I apologize from the bottom of my heart. SORRY! Gomen! Sumimasen Deshita!**

**This chapter is short as well. I promise to increase the size from the next chapter on (Tell me if you want long or short chapters?)**

**My Mesmerizing Mirage**

**crystal-mist**

**Chapter 12**

**Realization[s]?**

Alice shifted from foot to foot as she waited for Shun. Suddenly everything went black and she couldn't see anything. She panicked, realizing that someone had covered her eyes from behind. What was this, a mugging attempt?

"Boo, guess who." came a male voice, very close to her ear.

"K..K..Kazami-kun! Since when do you play silly games like this! You scared me!" she exclaimed, prying his hands away from her eyes and turning around to face him. Her heart skipped a beat or two realizing how close he was to her.

He only stared back at her, his face as smug as ever, and a hint of amusement in his eyes. "Did I now?" he whispered, twirling a strand of her hair between his fingers.

Her face turned an adorable shade of pink as she pouted. "Stop teasing me!"

"But it is so fun." he mused.

"Sorry to break it to you, But I'm not your 'entertainment'."

He laughed. At the back of his mind he wondered just when he'd become able to laugh so freely. For eight years he'd been so atrociously alone, so horribly betrayed that he'd stashed his heart away in some forgotten corner of his chest. But now, that very same heart was starting to... He stopped his thoughts when something occurred to him. "What did you do about him?"

"Huh? Him?"

"Oh, you know, that irritating blonde guy who's supposedly your 'best friend'. He confessed to you, back then, right?"

"W...what?" her eyes widened in alarm and instantaneously the most horrible feeling of guilt burnt in the pit of her stomach. "I...forgot." she exclaimed. "I...completely forgot!"

"Huh?"

"Oh. My. God. That's why he's been avoiding me! But we got along fine just last week and in the clubroom...he..."

Shun's eyes narrowed. "He...what?" asked he, his face darkening instantaneously.

"Uh..." Alice stared at him almost in fear. "Uh...Nothing, Kazami-kun."

"I want the truth, Gehabich." he muttered, taking hold of her arm and half-yanking her closer.

"It's nothing major..." Alice gulped. "He just...touched his forehead to mine and then we spoke...and-"

"Did you kiss that wimp?"

"No, of course not!" she exclaimed, trying to free her arm from his grip. "And don't call him a wimp!"

He completely ignored that last sentence. "So, your only experience at kissing-"

"-is that **horribly revolting** tobacco-tasting kiss of **yours**." completed Alice, her face flushed. If he was going to be mean then two could play at that game.

Shun leaned forwards, and for a split second Alice panicked thinking that this would be the context of her 'second' kiss. But instead of doing the anticipated, Shun touched his forehead to hers. "Like this? Is this... what you did?" he questioned in a hushed whisper.

Alice shuddered upon feeling his sigh on her lips. "Y...yes." she stuttered timidly. She held her breath when their noses brushed one another. "But...he..." she found herself lying to Shun, "He..held my face." Since when had she started to be so...

Shun placed one of his palm on her cheek. "Like this?"

She closed her eyes, with her heart racing exponentially and she lied again. "With b...both hands..." She felt so inexplicably warm when Shun raised his other hand to her cheek, so incredibly flustered. In reality she wouldn't have minded if Shun had at that very moment moved forwards to claim her lips for a second kiss, she wouldn't have minded at all...

They were so close. She could practically feel his lips brush against her own...But the contact never came.

Her heart almost sunk when he moved away. "So...When did your heart beat faster?" he muttered. "Then or now?"

Her eyes widened, but he started walking away before she could even thing of answering.

Alice watched in shock as his back receded further and further away from her. Gathering what little breath she had let, she managed to call out to him, her voice high and her face crimson red. "N...now!"

While still walking, Shun briefly turned to her, a hint of a forsaken smile on his face. "You and I both know you don't mean that."

Alice shakily walked herself to a nearby wall and leaned on it. Her knees were literally rattling together now. She brought her trembling hands to where her heart was and clutched her T-shirt "No kidding." she muttered to herself. "I've never been so...flustered my entire life and...I..." she brought one of her hands to her still burning cheek where he'd touched her not too long ago. "I...lied because I **'wanted' **Kazami-kun to touch me... All we did was touch foreheads... This isn't like with Joe, not at all...This feeling... Why is it...so **intense**?" She bit her lower lip, her eyes squeezed shut. "Kazami-kun...I..."

About three blocks away Shun stormed into a café. Stalking to a table, he banged his forehead on it in frustration.

"Uh, sir, you alright?" called out a concerned waitress.

"Yeah, Yeah. One coffee, extra bitter." he answered, his forehead still planted on the table.

"B...Bitter?"

"EXTRA Bitter." he repeated, irately.

"R...Right!"

He sighed. "What's with me? I'm only supposed to tease her, so why am I getting all competitive over some rich geek?"

'_N...now'_, her answer kept repeating in his mind like a stuck cassette. Of course, she didn't mean it; she couldn't have meant it, right?

The next day Joe found himself standing inside the literary club room during the lunch break. In his hand he held a neatly folded note that read-

'Joe,

Please meet me I the clubroom at lunch...

Alice.'

The note was short but nevertheless it made his heart flutter in a mix of happiness, curiousity and anxiety. His heart almost stopped when the door drew open.

Alice walked in, he face set in a slight smile. She closed the door behind her.

Before Joe could speak, Alice walked up to him and bowed deeply. "I'm very sorry!" she exclaimed.

"A..alice?"

"It was very cruel of me to have made you wait this long!" she said, raising her head to face him. "I'm sorry..."

Joe gulped, faintly realizing where this conversation was headed. But he only stood there, waiting for Alice to speak.

"The day...when we...went on that date...you-" she stuttered, her face a slight tint of pink.

Joe sighed. "So, you do remember."

"I'm sorry..."

"..."

"I'm confused." she whispered, turning her face to the ground. "I'm really, really confused."

Joe stared at her in surprise. Why did she sound so down-hearted? He found himself moving forwards and enveloping her in a warm hug. "Then don't answer right now... Don't reject me..." he whispered, placing his chin on the top of her head while he held her close.

Alice felt so at ease and her heart picked up a pace or two. But this feeling was...'lukewarm' when compared to that intense feeling she got when around...'him'.

Alice found herself softly moving away from the calming embrace, realizing that it was very cruel of her to think of Shun while in Joe's arms. "But Joe...How long can you wait-"

"For you, I'll wait...forever if I have to..." he whispered, taking hold of her hand. "I love you."

She stared into his eyes. That serious yet sincere smile, it was melting her. He'd said it again; he'd said that he loved her. It was a wonderful feeling, knowing that someone loved you so dearly like this, knowing that someone cared about you so much that he looked at you with that much adoration.

After all, Joe was her best-friend/potential wooer, someone who meant a lot to her... Before she realized it, she spoke four words that literally shook Joe's world.

...

...

...

...

...

...

**End of Chapter...**

**I'm cruel too, aren't I? Appearing after such a long absence and BAM cliffhanger!**

**Tell me, how you think things are going to turn out, k? (I know what's gonna happen. But who knows, your opinions might give me more ideas?)**

**Arisu (crystal-mist) signing out**

**PS- Tell me if you like the story cover art... (Modified a black&white manga pic myself...! ) **


	13. Chapter 13

**Okay, reading the reviews for the last chapter I have two things to say:**

**Sorry for making you guys think that I'd disappeared/discontinued this story and would NEVER update again. **

**Thanks for the warm welcomes. [And for the comments that said, "I'm glad you're actually alive/not gone." Haha, those made me laugh/smile in absolute joy :D]**

**Now on with the story.**

**My Mesmerizing Mirage**

**crystal-mist**

**Chapter 13**

Joe was her best-friend/potential wooer, someone who meant a lot to her... Before she realized it, she spoke four words that literally shook Joe's world. No, it wasn't 'I don't love you' and it wasn't-'I love you too' either.

"I...have a fiancé." she confessed.

For a second or two Joe's expression was completely blank. Alice stared at him, half-regretfully. In the very next moment Joe's mouth dropped wide open in bewilderment. "WHAT?" he half-shouted.

She gulped, averting her eyes from his gaze. "F...fiance..." she repeated. She was about to explain further when she felt Joe's firm grip on both of her shoulders. "Who, when, how, WHY? he exclaimed, forcing her to face him once more.

"Joe..."

He knew he was being overly dramatic. He knew that right now he probably seemed pathetic through her eyes. But then again, he **needed** to know. Who was it that had stolen Alice away without giving him so much of a hint? He** needed** so desperately to know.

"Uh..." And with that, Alice had no choice but to explain to him the entire childhood engagement situation.

Joe listened to every detail, his face overridden with absolute astonishment. "Y...you're engaged to 'that guy'? Your first love?"

"That's right." she muttered... "I'm sorry..."

His expressions, they hurt her more than he ever realized. His look of pure adoration had made her heart sway, his look of sheer shock had made her heart sink and now that look of downhearted dismay that engulfed his face was burning her, threatening to shatter her quaking heart.

His hands remained at their place on her shoulders "Do...you...**still **love him?"

Her face instantly flushed a bright shade of scarlet. "W...w...what?" she exclaimed.

"Well?"

"I did... You know, long ago we got along really well. And even the engagement was so natural that I had accepted that."

"What about **now**?"

"I...I'm not sure."

Joe half-winced, trying his best to ignore his gradually shattering heart. "Then...does **he love you**?"

Their gazes locked as a stretch of uncomfortable silence extended over them.

Alice took in a deep breath as she shook her head from side to side. It pained her to admit it so openly. Kazami-kun didn't love her and she knew it. Of course she hadn't forgotten about what happened the previous day. But that wasn't **'love'**... If anything, it was possessiveness that drove Kazami-kun to touch his forehead to hers like that.

That's right. He'd seen her as a possession ever since day one, hadn't he? '_You belong to me and don't you ever forget that.'_- he'd even said that to her a couple of times. "You know, most of the time, it's only that he toys with me... I don't think that I'm...really...important to him." she found herself admitting.

"Then you needn't stand by him. If he can't treasure you from the very core of his heart then he doesn't deserve you!"

Alice stared at Joe. His words, although movie-ish, did not have a spec of hypocrisy in them. And perhaps Joe was right.

"Alice...You needn't stay with him out of obligation alone." urged Joe, realizing that his words were starting to sway her.

But for some strange reason that one word which escaped his mouth impaled her like a dagger through her heart:** obligation**. And just like that, a single lone tear ran down her cheek. "Uh,,,I... I'm so sorry." she exclaimed, her hand immediately flying to her face.

But Joe beat her to it. Softly, he rubbed away the clear water droplet that clung onto her cheek. "I'm really sorry... Did I...say something bad?" he asked in concern.

"No, of course not!" she exclaimed, wondering why she had cried just then? What was this horrible feeling the pit of her stomach? "It's just that I don't know what **these feelings** are. I like you Joe, I really do... But the way I feel for you and him, they're different, like on two different poles. And I don't know if any of this is** love**... I really don't."

"Tell me...What do you feel when you're around me?"

Alice blinked in surprise. But she could tell by the look in his eyes that he wanted a serious reply. "I...feel very warm. When I'm with you, I feel safe...like I don't have to worry about anything."

The second he heard this he couldn't suppress a bright smile from creeping onto his face. To him, it felt as if his cracking heart had been pulled back together again by her mere words. "You feel...safe as in protected?"

She gazed at him doubtfully. "Uh...Is it strange that I chose that word?"

"No, it isn't...It just makes me wonder." He walked closer to her until they were face to face. "So...if I were to force you into a kiss right now, what would you do?" he asked, positioning his hand under her chin and tilting her face upwards. "Would that 'safe' feeling disappear? Would you hate me for it?"

A light trace of pink shaded her face as she stared into his eyes. He was so close that she could feel his breath upon her skin. "No..." she whispered, "You wouldn't do that..."

"Huh?"

She smiled softly. "Joe, you're not the kind of person who would force a kiss... And I know that." Somehow at the back of her mind, she felt as if she were bad-mouthing Shun as she spoke. After all, he had snatched away her first kiss in the cruelest fashion. She mentally kicked herself for thinking of Shun even in such a circumstance.

"So that means you trust me so completely?" he questioned, half-amusedly. "Even when I'm this close to your lips?"

"I guess." she replied.

"You're making me fall even deeper for you, Alice." he muttered before walking out the room.

**XXX**

Two days Alice found herself seated in a little café, an awkward smile plastered on her face.

Across from her sat Shun, with eyes narrowed in an annoyed glare...

"Uhm... Shall we order something?" she asked, a note of unease in her voice.

"Stop avoiding the topic at hand..." muttered Shun, his eyebrow twitching ever so slightly. "WHY is 'he' here?" asked Shun, motioning at Joe who was seated beside Alice.

"You see-"

"I wanted to meet you, fiancé-san." interceded Joe in a determined voice.

"Oh. So you do know... How nice! Now then, you should learn to stay away from **my** woman." spoke Shun, his voice exuding that usual confidence.

"She's not '**your **woman' **yet**."

"We're already engaged, duh, of course she is."

"She's not."

"Then I'll make her mine!" muttered Shun, at one triggering a long stretch of silence.

Alice sat there, her eyes wide and her face beet-red.

Joe cleared his throat, trying to ignore that cute face Alice just made. "That was just something fixed way back when you were children." He continued, his gaze once more shifting between Shun and Alice.

"So?"

"It can be broken off, if necessary."

"What if I don't **want** to break it off?"

"What if Alice wants to? Break off the engagement, I mean." pressed on Joe, not ready to back off.

"**We'll** think about it. There's no need for **you** to interfere." spoke Shun, just as laidback as ever. He could see that his nonchalance was getting on Joe's nerves so he thought it best to tease the numb-skull a bit. "But you know, she hasn't **ever** voiced that opinion. Eight years ago she was all excited for the wedding, she even had most of the planning done by the age of 11."

"Kazami-kun!" exclaimed Alice, her face a deep scarlet. She hadn't expected him to remember **that**.

Joe swallowed a lump in his throat before he stood up. "Time can change people." he muttered. He leaned forwards, banging his palms slightly on the table, his eyes shining with determination. "I love Alice. I'm irrevocably in love with her... We both know that the same can't be said for you. Your only hold on her is the engagement. Without that, you have nothing. You don't feel **'anything'** for her, you just toy with her. you're the worst kind of person."

"Wait Joe..." exclaimed Alice. His words, for some reason they sort of stabbed at her heart, especially that last sentence.

"No, let him complete." muttered Shun, slightly raising his palm and signaling Alice to stop.

Joe smirked, his eyes locking with Shun's still emotionless ones. "If you don't love her, do **her** a favour and just let her go..."

Alice stared at Joe in incredulity. She hadn't ever heard Joe speak so unkindly. But then again, love was a strange thing. She pressed herself deeper into the seat, half expecting Shun to retaliate with something ruthless like: 'Now, where would the fun be if I did that?' or 'Yea, I've had enough of her whining already' or maybe even something like 'Love? Ha-ha, as if I could **ever **love someone like her!'

But...he didn't. Instead he stood up as well. Taking hold of Joe's tie, he yanked him forwards, his dace darkened by a fierce glare. "I would advice you that you don't go too far, not unless you'd like a broken limb or two." He thundered.

"K...Kazami-kun!" exclaimed Alice, tugging softly at Shun's sleeve. "Please don't make a scene." She begged, more concerned about Joe's safety the group of onlookers.

"Fine! Side with him, why don't you?" growled Shun, tearing his arm away from her grip.

Her eyes widened. "No, that's not what I-"

"As if I even care." yelled Shun before stalking out of the café.

Alice slowly sunk back into her seat, a burdened sigh escaping her lips.

She looked so hurt. "Alice...Hey, are you okay?" asked Joe.

"Leave me alone for a bit?"

Joe sighed heavily. "Yeah...I'm leaving." he spoke down-heartedly before leaving the café as well. About two buildings away he spotted Shun, standing there with his back rested on a wall. Despite the threat from earlier Joe walked towards him. "It seems you do feel 'something' for her after all."

Shun straightened up. "You aren't as spineless as I initially thought." he smirked.

"**You** might have a past with Alice, but I won't loose to you..." spoke Joe decisively.

"I'll say this only once so listen close. **She** is the **only meaningful **thing that I have left from **MY** past. So I won't let you have her." and with that Shun walked away in the direction of the café.

Joe stood rooted to the spot as he watched Shun get into the café again. He half wondered if he should spy from the window. But for some reason he found his legs carrying him in the opposite direction. Shun was a strange person and he practically had the word 'delinquent' written all over him but the way he spoke that last sentence really got to Joe. 

**XXX**

"What's with that awful face?" asked Shun, sitting in a chair across from her again.

Alice raised her head, a slight trace of surprise on her face. "**You** came back?"

Wordlessly Shun took hold of her arm, pulled her to her feet and lead her out of the café. She followed him, her hand still held in his. "Where are we going?" she questioned softly.

"My place."

She jolted out of her moping state momentarily. "Eh, why?"

"Or we'll go to your place, whichever is fine."

Alice blinked once or twice before waving her arms around wildly. "W..w...why?!" Shun's voice saying _-__'__I'll make her mine' _circled in her head, making her almost dizzy.

"It's just that-" he paused seeing Alice's face. Her snow white face was tinted with just the cutest shade of pink as she stared at him with wide eyes, almost like that of a defenseless fawn. "Damn it girl, stop looking at me like that." he exclaimed, his face heating up as well. "I...I'm not planning to jump you or anything!"

Alice stared at him in awe. His nonchalant demeanor had completely vanished just then and he was...blushing!?."You... You're...actually **cute **like this..." she spoke without thinking,

"What the!?" exclaimed Shun, all composure having left his face for the first time in eight years.

Alice blinked once or twice before breaking into a smile. "Kazami-kun is-" but before she could complete he threw his arm around her shoulder and started leading her away again. "That's it, we're going to my place." he muttered under his breath.

Alice stood in the middle of Shun's living room, her hands hanging at her sides. "**Cute **is **not **an ideal compliment for guys." she chanted monotonously.

From his seat in front of her Shun raised his eyebrow. "And?" he asked.

"Cute is an adjective used to describe females."

"And?"

"My fiancé is either handsome, hot, cool or sexy." she continued.

His eyebrow twitched a bit at the 'sexy' comment. "And?"

"I will henceforth not describe my fiancé asany form of cute, cuddly or adorable even though it may seem as such."

Cute and adorable he could bear. But what was up with that 'cuddly' bit? He'd only asked her to pledge that she wouldn't call him 'cute' but she'd drawn it out long enough...And was she actually smiling? Oh no, that was a mischievous smirk. Wasn't she supposed to be moping for when he shouted at her or something? "Fine, that'll do for now."

Shun stretched a bit. "And before I forget. Uh...about before... I didn't mean to yell at you like that."

Alice stared at Shun in awe... He was actually apologizing? Wow, this was a first! And she couldn't help but smile brightly.

Sittng on the couch, they watched a little TV, surfing randomly from channel to channel.

"So...Why are we here again?"

"Because, I was hungry." he answered simply.

"You could've just ordered something at the café."

"I didn't want to."

"But-"

"Make me something, now?"

"Stop acting so spoilt!" reprimanded Alice. "Besides, you don't even have salt here!"

"I went shopping yesterday and brought a bunch of stuff... Now I don't know what to do with them all."

"I knew it." she mused. "You did bring me here to take advantage of me!"

"..."

"Ah! Fine! I'll make you something." She declared before moving to the kitchen. For a brief second she whipped around to face him "Happy?"

"Very." he replied, his rare smile highlighting his perfect lips.

Alice hummed softly as she set out to cook. Soon a pot of curry was steaming upon the stove.

Somewhere at the back of her mind she wondered about her conclusion, about her theory that Shun was only toying with her, about how she wasn't important to him at all.

But, when she was with him, when she was right next to him, all these thoughts bore almost no significance. Apparently all she wanted was to act natural...Why? She didn't know.

She took in a few deep breaths before walking back into the living room. She wanted to... treasure these moments with Shun. And she didn't want trivial thoughts to hinder her. For now, she just wanted to be there by his side.

Alice walked back to the living room only to see Shun sprawled on the couch, staring lazily at the TV.

"Move over please." she instructed.

'But I want to lie down."

"Stop acting like a kid, Kazami-kun." She spoke smiling although she knew that he was probably toying with her AGAIN.

"Then let me use your lap as my pillow." As he spoke this he wondered what he was trying to accomplish with all of this. Somewhere, deep within his heart he only wanted to be closer to her, if even by a little. But he wouldn't admit it. It would be weak-willed of him.

"Never mind then." said Alice. "I'll just stand over here."

His golden eyes drew open. And by the determined look on her face he knew he couldn't win this one. So he sat up. "Fine, take a seat, princess."

They sat there in silence for a bit. Shun was the first to speak. "You made curry?" he asked, sniffing the air just a bit.

"Right." She nodded. "And one more thing. Isn't it about time you got rid of that mountain of instant cup noodles? I almost got buried under an avalanche of them!"

"You exaggerate." He chuckled.

"Hmph...I'm serious; if you want me to come again you'd better get rid of them!"

Shun considered for a bit. "Does that mean you'd come cook for me again if I asked?"

Alice blushed as she directed her faze to a nearby wall. "Uh...I wouldn't mind."

"That would be...nice. Really nice." he spoke, wondering just when he'd started opening up to her again.

Alice smiled, for some strange reason she felt really happy inside.

He smiled back. It felt strange to him, smiling like that. He'd sworn not to get emotionally involved with anyone again after his parent's death. But here he was, letting his heart beat wildly in the proximity of this one girl. Human life was indeed a fickle thing.

Back at home, Joe stared at his own reflection in the bathroom mirror. Shun's words were echoing within his mind like a stuck cassette: 'stay away from my woman', 'she's mine' and 'I won't let you have her'.

It seemed as if he really had a worthy adversary.

Joe sighed heavily as he splashed his face with cold water. "WHY?" he whispered to himself. "Why do I feel so horrible? Why do I feel like I shouldn't have...let him go back to her in that café?"

**And that's that, End of chapter! Oh I'm so relieved... And finally, it was LONG again, like you guys asked for! *miracle miracle***

**[PS- I hope to release a Christmas special fic soon... Uhm is it okay, even if it is too late? I wanna know if you'd be ready to read?]**

**[[A/N:** I really need feedback here... Because I swear I had about five different scenarios of how Alice would respond to Joe (the FOUR words were the same in all scenarios) In the end after a lot of mental battle I went with this line of events.

I tried adding ShuRisu fluff here (I wonder if this can be called fluff)

And about when the three of them were in that café together. Honestly even I didn't see that one coming *nervous laugh***]]**

Anyways, **PLEASE DO REVIEW!**

**Thank you for everything! 3 3**


	14. Chapter 14

**Hm...Recently all the reviews only seem to say 'update soon'. (I guess that is to be expected since I've been totally busy lately:P) Sorry, and yes, I feel guilty, very guilty.**

**I wrote this chapter whilst munching on honey covered toast, sipping an iced pineapple drink and listen to random fairy tail and bleach soundtracks. Too much information? Hehe :D **

**My Mermerizing Mirage**

**crystal-mist**

**Chapter 14**

The following week Joe redoubled his efforts to get Alice to fall for him. He was a surprisingly persistent person. And very soon her best friends got wind of the situation and during lunch they would all mysteriously disappear, leaving her and Joe alone together.

"Let's go out on a date!" chimed Joe enthusiastically.

Alice blushed instantly. "W...why?"

"Well, you're single, I'm single and I have feelings for you. So it's okay to call it a date, right?"

"Uh...but, well..."

Joe smiled at her expression as she stuttered, she really was adorable. "Oh come on. It's not like we've never hung out, just the two of us."

Alice nodded as she fingered her spoon, refusing to look at him. "Yeah, that's true..."

"Alright, aright." he chuckled. "Next week, let's go to the ski-resort again, all of us. You should be okay with that, right?"

Alice turned to his thoughtfully sincere face and smiled. "Thank you. You've always had to make exceptions for me.

"I don't really mind if they all come. Just promise me that you'll come on a really long walk with me like last time."

Alice paused eating. "Joe, you've 'felt' this way for me, even at that time?"

"Even much before that." affirmed Joe with a smile. "Okay, so it's a DATE with a group of friends hanging around."

Joe was really pleasant to be around and she really enjoyed his company.

But the trouble started when that fine evening, Joe sneaked a kiss on her cheek. And just as the surprise it caused brought a shade of the brightest red upon her face, the fact that Shun witnessed it caused more of a sense of turmoil within her. With a slight smile upon her lips she bade goodbye to Joe and then approached her waiting fiancé.

He said nothing; he didn't accuse her, get angry or even try and outdo Joe. He just walked beside her, dead silent, a look of dark rage on his face. "Kazami-kun I-"

"It's not your fault." he snapped, making her flinch.

He stared briefly at the dejected look on her face before turning away again. He dropped her at her house and walked away without another word.

Almost as if the sky sensed his emotion, a flash of lightning ripped through the sky. Alice stood there on the porch, still confused. They were at it again, after getting along so well the previous week, now they'd hardly talked.

In a few minutes, heavy rain fell from the clouds, pelting the surroundings mercilessly... Without even thinking Alice rushed into her house and then went darting in the direction Shun'd left with an umbrella.

She splashed through the forming puddles, heading to the park. She didn't even flinch as another spark of lightning flashed through the air, almost immediately followed by a deafening clang of thunder.

Very soon, she saw him, standing in a deserted clearing, drenched to the bone. His wet T-shirt clung to his muscular body. "For you!" exclaimed Alice, extending the still closed umbrella to him.

He stared at her in stark astonishment. She stood there, panting from how hard she'd run. She was also soaked from head to toe. In her hurry to get to him, in her worry she had just come running through the rain, without using an umbrella herself.

With her trembling hands she opened it and held it over his head. "I was worried." she spoke softly. "What happened? Why are you so-"

The astonishment on his face subsided; giving way to the same face he had a few moments ago. "Are you wrong in the head?" he thundered, ripping the umbrella from her hand and stepping forwards so that she was under it as well.

The both of them just stood there, somehow fitting under than one umbrella as the rain pelted around them. The look on his face never once changed except when Alice reached up at him and placed a chaste kiss on his cheek. "Now we're even, you and I." she stated simply. "So tell me what's really bothering you."

"How..." he was thoroughly taken aback.

"How did I know?" she asked, completing his question for him. A sort of sad expression crossed her face. "I'm not so important to you that you'd look so hell-stricken just because someone kissed my cheek."

"Ali-"

'Don't change the subject."

"I..." and for the first time ever she saw despair cross his face. "I lost it." he muttered, almost as if he didn't want to admit if it was true.

She was starting to get really concerned "Lost what?" she urged.

Shun froze, suddenly realizing that he was exposing his vulnerable side. This wasn't supposed to be happening, ever. "No one can see my weak side." he muttered, not even realizing that he was saying it out loud.

Alice knew that he was going to walk away from her again. "Wait." She urged, holding onto the hem of his T-shirt. She closed her eyes and smiled. "I won't 'see'."

She didn't see the soft look that set in his eyes as he watched the sincerity upon her face. He let out a deep breath. "You're strange."

"I apologize."

"Everything." He muttered. "I lost...everything that belonged to my parents; the house, the property, every single photograph, every single shred of memory."

Alice felt something cold grip her heart. "H...h...how?"

"My relatives, in the last trial, they leached everything away... Now all I have left is a huge load of money. Who needs money?" he muttered, going against his very ideal that 'money ran the world'

"That house where we used to play?"

"Yeah. They're going to tear it down soon."

"I...I don't know what to say..." she whispered. The Kazamis were warm people. And she loved them just like she did her own parents. And that beautiful house, it had such a lot of wonderful memories.

"They'll pay for this; they'll pay for even considering that they can dishonor my parents."

"..."

"They're wrong if they thing they can trample on me just because I'm alone."

"You're not alone." Alice intervened instantly, glad he trusted her. "I'm here for you."

And if her eyes were open she would've seen his flabbergasted expression mixed with a hoard of gratitude. She almost jumped in shock when he scooped her into his arms for a warm embrace. Even the cold breeze that blew by couldn't so much as touch the warmth in both their hearts at that moment.

Neither realized that the umbrella now lay on the ground. The rain pelting on their skins seemed to bear no consequence.

She smiled as she listened to the rapid beating of his heart, almost as fast as her own.

What happened next was something that neither of them foresaw; it was on the spur of the moment. As yet another flash of lightning ripped through the air, their lips met.

They kissed, softly, tenderly, indulgently.

After a little while, they parted and stared into one another's eyes, slightly breathless. At that moment, they had both succumbed to that secret desire in their hearts, and it was a bit confusing. But that overly warm and exultant feeling that throbbed within their chests more than made up for it.

Alice's face turned a bright scarlet as she stared into that intense gaze on his face. "D...don't look at me like that! It's embarrassing!" she demanded, burying her flushed face in his chest.

A smiled tugged at Shun's lips._ 'You didn't dislike it, I'm glad.'_ he thought to himself. But for the life of him, he wouldn't dare utter something that cheesy in real life.

As they walked to her home Alice smiled to herself, the closed umbrella in one hand and Shun's hand in the other. The rain had let up to a slight drizzle. "A rainbow and this would've been perfect." she laughed, walking closer to Shun.

Shun nudged her in the shoulder and pointed to the right side of the sky.

"What, no way! A rainbow, for real! exclaimed Alice, whirling around to face where he was pointing. She pouted seeing the blank blue sky.

"Gotcha." he said, ruffling the wet her on the top of her head.

"Meanie." she huffed, turning her face away from him, her hand never leaving his.

They soon reached her house again. Alice threw a towel in his direction. "You sure, you don't need a change of clothes?" she questioned thoughtfully.

"Yeah...As if I'm going to walk through the streets in one of your dresses."

She giggled at that. "Right."

Before he walked out the room, Alice pulled him to a stop, her face a bright pink. "Hey... Does this mean we're..._'together'_ now?"

"Uh...Yeah, I guess." he muttered, not having realized that a single kiss would lead to this kind of insecurity.

"So, we're now boyfriend and girlfriend?" she asked, her eyes wide and innocent.

Shun couldn't help but chuckle at that. "Being 'together' means being 'boyfriend' and 'girlfriend'." He affirmed.

"Ah-ha! Yes, that's right!" exclaimed Alice, her blush not subsiding.

"**Also... About what you said before...".he paused, as if unsure how to continue."It's not true."**

**She blinked in surprised. "What isn't?"**

"**You are...important to me." he muttered, stealing a look of Alice's bewildered face before turning away. **

If only Shun'd known that she'd actually concede to his kiss and react so cutely in the aftermath, he wouldn't have forcefully kissed her that other day. "Tell 'him' that we're dating, you and I."

She nodded. "Yeah." She waved goodbye, her heart refusing to slow down by the slightest bit.

As she walked back into the house she couldn't help the horrible feeling that clutched at her chest. _'Let's go on a date!' _Joe's bright smiling face appeared before her closed eyes. A few tears rolled down her cheeks as an icy feeling slowly extended over her heart. "I'm sorry, Joe." she whispered into the emptiness of the room.

She closed her eyes, forcefully willing away all thoughts. She brought her trembling hands to her lips as she sank to the ground. "I'm sorry Joe, but please let me treasure this feeling, the feeling of Kazami-kun's lips on mine."

Unbeknownst to them some people had been standing there, spying in the surroundings. "There, that orange-haired girl is the key to us getting what we want." sniggered one of them.

"Right, who needs al that worthless property? What we really need is the money..."

"That Kazami brat's money, we'll get it one way or another."

**End of Chapter (Phew)**

Plot hatching against the 'Kazami brat' starts next chapter on.

**Shameless Advertising-** Check out my newest story **'Dirge of a Dying Heart' **please! Typing that plot into words kind of like took this huge chunk of **my **heart. So I'd really appreciate it if you guys took the time to read it.

**Thanks for reading. And don't forget to review. We don't want me being all lonely now do we? Jk, but seriously, review. :D**

**Until next time.**


	15. Chapter 15

**Okay, so this chapter gave me trouble. I scrapped two chapters' worth of ideas while writing this… So it came later than expected... **

**Ps- **I added about three sentences extra in the last scene of the previous chapter. I've **bold-ified** it. Yes, I'm sorry for having forgotten to copy-paste it from my files board before.

**Thanks for coming back to this story. :D**

**My Mesmerizing Mirage**

**crystal-mist**

**Chapter 15 **

Julie sat on the top of Alice's desk, her legs crossed over one another. "I'm getting a weird vibe from you today, Ally."

"Ah-ha-ha…You don't say?" mused Alice, an awkward laugh ringing through her voice.

"You're acting strangely..." muttered Julie, eyeing her suspiciously. "And seriously, what's with that overly high-pitched tone?"

"It's nothing, it's nothing," insisted the orange-haired girl, shooing her best friend's doubt away. "You over-react!"

"It can't be nothing! When you say 'it's nothing' twice, it makes me think that there's 'something'. So why don't you tell me this something that you say is nothing and **I'll **be the judge if it's something, nothing, anything or everything."

"Woah...Wait, **what**?" exclaimed Alice, staring at Julie with eyes wide and mouth open in a classic WTH look.

"I expected you to understand... Topper of the class and you can't keep up with a sentence so simple?" muttered Julie, clicked her tongue in disapproval. Without warning sheleaned in closer to her. "So, you just got yourself your first boy-friend. I understand why you're all high-strung but-"

"I am **not** high-strung." protested Alice almost immediately."And what makes you even think that I got a boyfriend!"

"Oh puhleaaase...You've been nothing but 'dreamy sighs' **all week**."

The two girls spent the next few moments half-glaring at each other; Julie in suspicion and Alice in denial.

"Just...Don't hurt Joe too much," muttered Julie before skipping off as if nothing happened.

Alice slumped back into her seat, running a hand through her bangs. Sometimes, Julie was too perceptive for her liking.

But it was true... She **was** overly self-conscious and edgy ever since the terms boyfriend and girlfriend came into the equation. The concept seemed so foreign, yet the slightest nuances were enough to fluster her. Be it the way his voice was just a note softer, the way his eyes were just a bit more expressive or the way his hand would occasionally brush against hers –not entirely unintentionally- as they walked. They were enough to make her heart pound in frenzy. However, with every flutter of her chest, there was that lump of regret in her throat, a lump that became more difficult to swallow the more time passed.

As cruel as it was she had to tell Joe, that she'd got herself a boyfriend just a week afterhe'd promised to wait for her to fall in love with him.

And it was this exact burning sense infidelity that compelled her to tell Joe everything that evening in the literary club room

"You are...dating him?" Joe repeated in stark astonishment. "You're kidding me, right?" he implored, hoping against hope that this was some sort of crude joke on her part.

But the look on her face made his world shatter into shreds. "Impossible!"

Alice stood with her face trained to the floor as Joe desperately struggled to frame a mildly coherent sentence.

"But I thought that you-" he paused mid-sentence. "I thought you weren't sure... of your_ feelings_."

"Ah...it's-"

"You said that you didn't think he'd **ever** love you."

"Joe-"

"It's stupid!" he exclaimed, ignoring Alice's failed attempts at trying to intervene. "It's stupid to start dating him just because the two of you kissed." insisted Joe, throwing his hands into the air for emphasis.

"I couldn't ignore it, the way it felt, that overwhelming intensity. It felt so unbearably perfect."

"Oh. So you said to yourself 'I liked the kiss so I'll just go out with him'?" he questioned, his tone half-ridden with mockery.

"It's not as shallow as you make it out to be." snapped Alice, glaring at Joe rather defensively.

"Really? Then did he confess?" he demanded, positioning his hands atop her shoulder. "Did **that person** really say that **he loved you**?"

She froze...Those words felt like a poisoned dagger. She tore her gaze from his she stared off into the distance beyond the windows of the room. "No...But y-"

"See! **This **is what's wrong with you. You **NEVER **look at what's right in front of you!" interrupted Joe, his voice reverberating off the book shelves. "Look at me Alice, I love you..." he pressed on, shaking her shoulders rather frantically. "I **love** you. All this time **I **have only ever desired you! So look **at** me... Don't chase after **him**, he who cannot bring himself to say something so basic to your face."

Regret glazed her eyes in a thin sheen of tears. "I'm sorry..."

"I don't understand... " he muttered shaking his head from side to side. "I don't get you, at all. Why him damn it!" he half-yelled.

She couldn't speak, if anything she felt choked. Joe was hurt, he was angry and worst of all he had a point. Why was she chasing after Shun just because of one unplanned kiss? Logically speaking, it made no sense... But, she couldn't turn back now; she didn't** want** to turn back.

"A kiss, huh?" muttered Joe in a low tone. Without warning he grabbed both her hands and pulled her to her feet. He maneuvered her backwards until her back rested against a bookshelf. "So, back then if I had forced that kiss on you and you 'liked' it, would you have chose me instead?" he questioned, his face hovering dangerously close to hers.

"L..let me go, Joe." she stuttered, her expression resembling that of a cornered fawn. Since when had Joe become this strong?

"Was that my mistake, Alice? Should I have just kissed you?" he demanded.

"Joe, what are you doing! Let go, it hurts!." Despite all her efforts she still could extricate herself from his grip.

"So..." his face turned unexpectedly dark. "If you like this kiss, you'll choose me?" he asked again, the whisper sending chills through her spine. "Because I love you and because you'll love this." he moved closer.

"Please...no..."

He froze just as his lips were less than a centimeter from hers. Even though he could practically feel the subtle warmth from her lips, he stopped. "You look so scared..." he muttered in a hoarse whisper, bending over and burying his face in the crook of her neck. "You're scared...of me?" he asked, weakly.

Tears streamed down her face... What was happening? Why was her life spiraling so out of control like this?

After a few seconds of mind-numbing silence Joe pulled himself back and turned away. "Don't expect me to congratulate you." he muttered, kicking a nearby chair in frustration. "Sorry, but I'll be praying for you to break up." And with that he stalked out the room, slamming the door behind him.

Alice stood there all alone, her back still pressed to the bookcase... Just now, Joe had seemed so foreign, so unrecognizable that it made her chest convulse in distress.

And ever since then he never spoke to her. He ignored her mercilessly and even during lunch when they were all sitting together he refused to acknowledge her existence. And he never once dropped in the literary club.

As the week progressed, dodging Julie's persistent questions and Joe's unrecognizably cold transformation seemed to be the least of her worries.

It all started that Saturday when she received this queer envelope in her mail box. At first she thought is was some random brochure or perhaps even a note from some secret admirer.

'_Alice Gehabich,_

_We've been watching you. We need something from you. __Expect a call__ this __midnight.'- w_as all that it said.

She stared at the note in trepidation.

It was an anonymous note, a creepy one. 'Watching you', 'need something from you' and 'midnight'? It had to be a stalker, but then what about the 'we'? Were random guys collectively stalking her? The more she thought about it, the creepier the end picture became. By nightfall she was so ensnared in paranoia that she'd asked Runo to stay over.

"It's probably just some prank." said the blue-haired girl matter-of-factly as she stirred the pasta. "Oh well, it's good to have sleepovers once in a while."

"So...should I stay awake till midnight?" asked Alice.

"Hmph no need." huffed Runo, thumping Alice's back reassuringly.

"Right..."

"Plus, it might just be your new sweetheart." teased Runo, her eyes narrowing slyly as she made a heart with her hands. "But the 'we' is weird if it's him."

Alice snatched the ladle from her friend's hand and started stirring the pasta all the more vigorously, ignoring her goofy expression.

"Pfft... You're blushing!" squealed Runo, poking her best-friend's cheek.

The two girls slept peacefully. And when the clock on Alice's mantelpiece struck twelve, the phone in her living room really did ring.

The monotonous sound droned through the otherwise still night. Alice stared at Runo's sleeping form. She had earmuffs on, as did Alice herself. But the need to confront this anonymous note-writer made her place her earmuffs aside before midnight. She took in a deep breath and strengthened her resolve before picking up the phone. "Hello?"

"Is this Alice Gehabich?" came a male voice from the other end.

"Y...yes. Who are you?"

"You needn't know."

Alice closed her eyes, listening to the voice closely. No, it didn't belong to anyone that she knew. "If you don't reveal yourself I **will** hang up the phone."

A raspy laugh echoed from the other end. "Listen here, missy. I'm the one here who'll issue the threats."

Alice held her breath when he said 'threat'. Something about the tone in the man's voice troubled her.

"We need your help with something. Can we count on your assistance?"

"Who are you?" she asked again, ignoring the previous sentence.

It turned out that she wasn't the only one who was determined to ignore because the man overlooked her query and continued to speak his side of things. "We... want **you** to take down Shun Kazami."

Alice froze, her mind whirling through possible scenarios but arriving at nothing more creative than 'Joe was playing a practical joke on her.' And that, considering his hostility towards her seemed very unlikely. The man however, continued to speak. "From everything we've inferred so far. You're the only person he seems to trust."

Alice mentally kicked herself when her heart started beating faster when she heard that Shun trusted her and only her. _'This isn't the time for that, Alice.' _she told herself as she continued to listen to the man.

"So... what we want you to do is help leach out his money and the deed to that huge estate in the country side. Of course, we'll pay you a part of the share."

And right then, everything clicked into place. These were 'them', the insensitive relative that scavenged his house during that trial he mentioned. "Why?" she asked, Shun's hell-stricken face resurfacing in front of her closed eyelids. "Do you not have enough?"

"Ha! All we have is that worthless house. Who needs the house and some adjoining property when there's a bank balance that freaking huge just up for the grabs?" demanded the man, his tone dripping with vehement greed.

"It's not worthless!" Alice yelled. "That house... Every single thing in that house means such a lot to him! Don't you dare call it worthless."

"Defensive, are we?" laughed the man mockingly.

"..."

"So... Will you help us?"

"I refuse!"

"We won't take no for an answer, kid."

"I...I'll report you people to the police."

"Oh? You and what army?"

She didn't know how to answer. A part of her wished this was all some sort of far-fetched dream of hers. But reality seemed like a bucket of freezing water to her face as the man hung up saying- "If you won't help, we cannot guarantee your safety. Insignificant little nobodies like you die all the time you know." And this was followed by the faint beep of the line going dead.

The phone fell from her grasp and hung at the side of the table. She had to report these people; they were after Kazami-kun. But, without evidence, her failure was a given. She flopped down onto the floor. What was she to do?

"Hey...Kazami-kun, you said there were people after you, your relatives?" she asked cautiously the next day.

He blinked in confusion. "I never said that."

She gulped. Was she busted before she even got started at extracting information from him? "Uh...uh...I...It's just that I-"

"You're very perceptive to have inferred that from what little I've said." he sighed. "Yeah, well. They are after me... They want the money as well."

"Please...be careful." she said, clutching at the hem of his sleeve weakly. "Please..."

He placed his hand on the top of her hair and ruffled her hair slightly. "I'll be fine. I can take those old geysers, no problem, kay?"

She smiled at that. He was softer to her now. It made her feel that he accepted her as more than a mere obligation and it warmed her heart.

"Wow, you get a lot of mail." muttered Shun, pointing at her mailbox that was practically overflowing with letters.

"Ah!" she exclaimed, her voice almost breaking. "Haha, they're brochures, just brochures. I signed up to too many stores and now they give me brochures from everything from potato sales to hair-fixing treatment!" she explained.

He studied her briefly, knowing that she was lying but he decided to let it slide, for now. "Hmph, so I take it you don't need help?"

"Uh... Ah no, it's alright." she said, half-surprised that he actually believed her unconvincing explanation. Maybe it was the exaggeration of hair-fixing that sealed the deal?

"See ya." And with that he left.

Alice sighed heavily as she retrieved all the envelopes. Reaching inside her home, she dropped them to her feet and flopped down beside them, her heart heavy.

She didn't know why, but she tore open the envelope and read each and every letter, each more disturbing than the last.

They were handwritten in a scarlet ink, the exact colour of blood, which all-the-more made her stomach lurch in trepidation.

'_Take Kazami down if you ever want to live to see another sunrise.'_

'_If you like your head attached to your body, then do as you are told.'_

**Phew, so was that a good cliffhanger... Hm, I guess not :P**

**Ps- That something, nothing etc speech of Julie's is a true story. Someone actually typed that LONG message in my facebook chat box… LOLZ**

**Thank you so much for reading ,… And please do review. I need feedback to keep**


	16. Chapter 16

**Special thanks** to **Daya Coleman **If it weren't for you, this lazy 'authoress' type person would never have updated. Lolz. Seriously! Thank you!

And thanks to **angelaalice** too. :)

**To a certain anonymous reviewer**: Okay so I have my suspicions that the review was a prank of sorts, but I'd still like to clarify my position. I do **NOT** have an **alliance** with anyone, let alone a shady sounding 'secret' one. And yes, I have talked to the said author once before, and that was a thank you note in response of her review... So yeah...Your **Theory=Discarded.**

**Anyways, on with the story people :D . **

**My Mesmerizing Mirage**

**crystal-mist**

**Chapter 16**

For the first time in her life Alice experienced true bone-chilling paranoia. Not only were the notes increasing in magnitude but their threats were becoming more and more vivid with each passing moment. And then, there were those disturbing late night phone calls. It seemed as if she couldn't take so much as two steps on the street without feeling like she was being followed.

Joe was the only one who noticed the bags under her eyes and the constant anxiety on her face. And although it raised concern in his mind he'd sworn to keep his involvement with Alice to a minimum for at least the next few weeks.

"Oh Alice! You better be extra careful." warned Julie, pointing her finger at the orange haired girl "Your zodiac's at an all-time low! I can't believe that such low readings existed. Love-2, Health-1, Unexpected occurrences- 10-"

She was cut short by a mini-whack from Runo. "Since when do they have an 'unexpected occurrence' section?"

"Honest to god, they do!" exclaimed the silver haired girl, pushing the page into Runo's face.

"Fine! Fine!"

Paying absolutely no attention to Alice's downtrodden spirit, Julie continued reading. "Beware, if you loose something this coming week, you won't ever be able to regain it ever again, be it a person or a possession. Don't give in to pressure/bullying... Be wary of projectiles-"

"Right... I'll be careful." muttered Alice before standing up and walking away.

"Wait! Alice! There's more!" Julie called out after her. After a second or two she literally threw the magazine on the floor. "What's with her? She's so out of it!"

Alice walked down the hall, almost groggily. She didn't know why but she felt distraught all of a sudden. Perhaps her lack of sleep was catching up with her. As she walked, her ears picked up the faint sound of something shattering in the distance almost akin to her frozen soul.

"Watch out!" someone shouted and the next thing she knew she was laying on the ground, her orange hair spread out under her, glass bits strewn all around and a desk lying a few centimeters away. Her view of the sky was restricted by the figure of someone crouched atop her, legs astride.

She stared in horror as droplets of blood landed on her cheek. "W..what?" she stuttered, an odd sense of déjà vu flooding her system.

In the very next moment the person fell onto his side but Alice dived at him before he made contact with the strewn shards of glass.

She held that person's head atop her shoulder. "J...Joe!"

He smiled at her as more blood trickled down his forehead. "I'm fine. A bit dizzy, but fine."

The people gathered there soon carried Joe away despite his protests. Runo, who'd just reached the scene hurried to Alice who was still on the ground. "Alice!" she exclaimed, hugging her. "Who... who could've done this!"

As if on cue, Alice's phone beeped. For an instant she forgot that Runo was there with her. With hands trembling and lips twitching she flipped open her phone.

'_Time's up, kiddo.'__: _was all that it said.

Tears started falling down her cheeks and she could no longer hold in her sobs. And just like that, she ended up telling Runo everything. She despised her weak side.

"Then tell 'him'!" demanded Runo. "Tell your fiancé-san all of this. Didn't the both of you start dating or something?"

Alice shook her head from side to side as she raised her head decisively. "I have made...my decision. And now, there's no turning back."

Runo stared at her best friend in shock as she stood up and flung her cell phone onto the ground, literally snapping it in two. "No more." She whispered before making her way to the infirmary to see Joe.

The blue haired girl stared at Alice's back, then at the phone and then back at her and decided to let her go for now.

And then it was almost as if a switch had flipped within her. Alice went back completely to her normal cheerful self, the air of paranoia disappearing with no trace.

She extended a pair of wild flowers in Joe's direction when she reached the infirmary. "Thank you oh heroic knight for having braved danger to save this humble woman."

"Oh fair maiden, thou art kind for having tread treacherous paths to visit this noble soldier." He responded without a moment's delay, a smile forming on his lips, momentarily forgetting that they were in somewhat of an argument.

She sat down beside him. "Are you really okay?"

"I'm fine." He nodded, but then, seriousness set in. "I never knew you were being bullied..."

"Far from it." she lied, shaking her head from side to side. "I think I was just at the wrong place at the wrong time."

Joe stared at her accusatively. "There's no way I'll believe t-" he froze mid sentence as Alice pressed her index finger to his lips, her dazzling smile almost blinding him. "It's nothing I can't handle."Joe didn't look all that convinced but his head was starting to ache with all that worrying. "Promise me you'll be careful."

She nodded before walking out of the door. When she was out she went to a nearby phone booth. She had it memorized; the number that had supplied her threats. She put in a coin and placed the receiver to her ear, eyes closed and holding her breath as she waited for them to pick up.

***~~X~~***

You'd think she'd be on the verge of an emotional breakdown after having actually contacted her 'stalkers'. You'd think she'd be a disconsolate mess when she walked home with Shun that evening. You'd think that she'd be so panic-stricken that she wouldn't even be able to utter a single coherent sentence through her flooding stream of tears.

But reality was far from it.

"Kazami-kun... Want to come over to my place, today?" asked Alice, mustering what Shun thought was uncharacteristic courage.

He blinked at her, placing a palm to her forehead playfully."Do you have a fever to something?"

"No, why?"

"You're acting all giddy."

She pouted at him."Well excuse me for actually having **asked** to spend time with you, my new boy-frie-."

"I'll come." He cut her short before she could nag any further. "It's just that you seemed depressed lately. So this is a nice change."

Her smile lost its sparkle for a moment or two. "So you **did **notice I was off."

"Kind of."

"Oh well, I'm better now." she said, taking hold of his hand as they walked.

The next few days passed like an absolute dream. If anything, it was like Alice had made up her mind not to waste time in doubt anymore. If disappearing was indeed her fate then she'd face it head on.

She redoubled her efforts to get close to Shun. She didn't want to be timid and test out the waters anymore. If anything, her heart was screeching at her that she still had feelings for him.

So, Alice forgot about all else and just indulged herself in her fiancé/new boyfriend: cooking for him, going out on dates and all that romantic hullaballoo.

Shun was entranced to say the least. That one week with Alice was enough to make him realize and admit that he was indeed mesmerized by his fiancée, perhaps even a tad infatuated.

***~~X~~***

"You know... At this rate I really wouldn't mind marrying Kazami-kun after all." muttered Alice, swaying in tune to the leisurely melody flooding through the dance hall.

Shun stared back at her, his golden eyes sparkling in amusement as he guided her through the packed hall. "Yeah? So before you **did **mind?"

"Well..." she giggled, the arms around his neck shifting a bit. "You were pretty mean to me for a long time, you have to admit."

He sighed. "You know, I wasn't exactly planning on getting together with you."

"Then what was with all that 'you belong to me' talk?" she demanded, blushing almost instantly. She really needed to think things through before speaking.

"Impulse?" he suggested, chuckling as he pulled her closer to him.

She shook her head in playful disapproval. "Tone down, Kazami-kun."

She froze in her tracks, almost causing them both to stumble over when he placed his forehead to hers. "Don't 'Kazami-kun' me." he whispered, his breath tickling her skin. "Don't be stubborn. You should really take to calling me 'Shun'."

"Ah...yeah... I guess. That's right!" she half-exclaimed, her blush deepening ever so rapidly.

He sighed. "You're really much too innocent for your own good, you know. That's what makes me want to bully you."

"Sadist." she accused instantly.

"Maybe I am, maybe I'm not." he whispered, pulling her in for a kiss.

She smiled into the kiss... This was pure bliss. After they parted, Alice looked from left to right, her nose in the air.

"What?"

"I smell jasmines." she explained as she continued to stare around the hall.

"There." Shun pointed at a large banner that had just been pulled into the building. The border was decorated with a multitude of beautiful white flowers.

"I really love their scent."

Shun stared at her and then at the banner and abruptly let out a slight chuckle. That didn't go unnoticed by Alice. "What?" she asked, tilting her face slightly to one side innocently.

"Nothing." He muttered with an almost amused smile plastered on his face.

"What?" she demanded yet again, hands at her hips.

"Do you still want garlands at your wedding?" he asked with a playful smirk.

Alice froze, her face doing a very impressive imitation of a tomato as a memory instantly started replaying in her mind. "You...you still remember that!"

"Of course I do."

_*flashback*_

"_Hey, hey Shun. Let'__s have flower garlands on our wedding day! You put one round my neck and I'll do the same for you."_

_The little boy looked at her like she was a crazy person. "That would be so lame!"_

"_It is so NOT lame." she retorted, hands on her hips. "In India, it's traditional for Hindus to exchange flower garlands, mostly jasmines. It's cute and romantic."_

"_It's not cute __**or**__ romantic."_

"_It is!"_

"_Well we aren't Hindus __**or**__ Indian. Besides, what if one of us gets strangled during the process?"_

"_You are SUCH a pessimist." she declared, throwing the garland at his face. She then flopped onto the grass, her hands tied. "Besides, no one gets strangled by flower garlands, ever." she muttered, pouting. "I don't want to marry a killjoy like you. I'd be miserable and gloomy and bored to death and-" _

"_You don't want to marry me?" he asked._

_Alice paused, but soon turned her head to one side. "No." _

"_Fine then." he exclaimed."You can have your flower garlands."_

"_I don't want them!"_

"_Why not?"_

"_Because I'm calling off the wedding." she huffed._

"_Hm...Fine then, we'll call off the wedding." _

"_For real?" she asked in bewilderment._

"_Yeah, I've been wanting to get rid of this engagement for a while now." said Shun, nodding his head thoughtfully._

"_No! Don't say that!" Alice exclaimed, turning to him in alarm._

_He studied the terror stricken expression on her face before breaking out into a fit of laughter, "You're so easy to trick." he mocked her._

"_You're so...mean." she muttered under her breath, her lips trembling as tears threatened to pour down her cheek. "Sometimes you take a joke too far."_

"_Well, you started it, saying that __**you **__didn't want to marry __**me**__." He stated matter-of-factly._

_Alice moved herself further away from Shun, her knees hugged to her chest, her chin rested on her knee-cap, and a dejected look on her face... "At times I really hate-" she stopped short as a faint fragrance of flowers reached her nose. And she felt warm arms embrace her. It took her a little while to realize that Shun had actually slipped the flower garland around her neck and was now hugging her from behind._

"_Don't say you hate me." The boy whispered. "I can't endure it, even if it is a joke."_

"_Shun..." she held his hands and leant back on his chest. "I want garlands."_

"_Fine, we will."_

_She smiled slightly._

"_What do you know." he muttered under his breath, slightly tickling the skin on her neck. "Garland__s really are __'__**sort of**__**'**__ romantic."_

"_Y...y...yeah." she stuttered, a big-time blush on her face._

_*End flashback*_

On the way back home they stopped at the park. It was usually a hot spot for happy coupled but oddly it was deserted enough. Shun pointed at the bench. "Want to get all cuddly? It's the norm."

She nudged him playfully. "Stop saying embarrassing things."

He shrugged slightly. A part of him wondered when the last time was that he smiled so much and had so much fun. Normally it was as if God had made it a point not to give him any long lasting happiness. As he held onto Alice's hand, he sincerely hoped that it would be different this time.

Alice turned to him all of a sudden, the smile on her lips shining anew and flinging her arms around his neck.

"What's with the sudden boldness?" he questioned, thoroughly surprised.

She shook her head from side to side. "Hey, can I have a look at the key?" she asked. "You have it around your neck most of the time, don't you?"

He nodded, taking hold of the silver chain around his neck and pulling out the beautiful key that opened the locker to the second copy of their engagement proof documents.

She took the cold metal between her fingertips, holding it gingerly, a slight smile upon her face. "This key... I used to dread it at first. But it seems so warm and beautiful now."

He smiled as he slowly fondled her hair, he felt so at ease, so... perfect.

She raised her face to look at him. "This key, is something truly important... Sorry, but I'll have to take it from you." And with that she pulled at the silver chain, snapping it and detaching it from his neck.

Before Shun could react she extricated herself from his arms and moved away, pushing him backwards.

He stared at her face in nothing but pure shock.

She smiled at him sadly, almost sympathetically. "Sorry, but I'm on their side now." She muttered, signaling to the people behind her.

Shun's entire world seemed to crumble into miniscule shards of nothing as he identified the people in the shadows at the background as his conniving relatives. For the first time in a long while he felt absolutely devastated, and that was an understatement. Words couldn't describe the anguish that was clawing at his insides.

Alice...betrayed...him?

**End of chapter!**

**Cliff hanger, hurray hurray! Thanks for reading, you guys, I really do appreciate all the support.**

**I really don't have much to say at this point, I'm totally stressed, but the chapter turned out 'okay-ish' no?**

**Leave me reviews, kay? I need something to keep me going now, don't I?**

**Peace.**


	17. Chapter 17

**Sorry it took me this long... *shifty eyed* I'll be honest... I'm seriously considering the PM that told me: 'You should just quit fanfiction already. What's with these long idiotic waits? Absolutely pathetic!' *sigh* Maybe I really should leave... This used to be fun but now it's amounting to unnecessary stress... When I lay down to sleep I go 'damn how long has it been since I last updated' and when I reach in front of my PC I go 'Gaaah! I just CANNOT write!' **

**I find myself at a dead end and I do NOT like it... Anyways here's what I'd like to call the next chapter of this story.**

**My Mesmerizing Mirage**

**crystal-mist**

**Chapter 17**

**Motives & Confrontations**

Human beings were deceitfully fickle creatures. Shun Kazami was a person who believed in that ideal more than most people. Trusting another person completely, without the minutest of qualms was the most foolish thing anyone could do.

Yet, the irony in it all was the fact that he'd actually allowed his heart to succumb to that absurd notion that caused him to stagger from his ideals, that idiotic thing one would call...love. He was stupid for ever having faltered, for ever having felt that insane desire to steal back his fiancée, for ever having let himself get swept away by those...'feelings'.

She just stood there, staring at him with that aggravating gaze of sympathy, the key glinting in what little of the sunlight that remained. His so-called uncle stood, his hand positioned on Alice's right shoulder, jeering mockingly at him. "That look on your face is priceless, Kazami-brat, it almost seems like I'm enjoying this more than the idea of half a fortune." he spoke with a toothy grin- the sickening kind.

Shun forcefully dissipated all the incredulity on his face and trained his gaze into a lethal glare. "And your plan is?"

His uncle patted Alice's shoulder. "Well, since this little princess is your fiancée she's entitled to about half the assets you've inherited from your late parents. So you say bye-bye to her half."

"So? We aren't married. An engagement is nothing but absolute trash!" defended Shun, pouring all his rage into emphasizing the word 'trash'.

"That is true, in normal circumstances. But it seems that your parents had a somewhat soft side for her. I mean, did they not engage you to her just because her diseased mother wished that she wouldn't be left alone, or rather, without any money in 'this cruel world'?"

"Don't you dare ridicule my mother's pure intent!" muttered Alice, her tone low and stern.

"Whatever..." he then turned to Shun. "As for you, it's time to go night-night."

The next thing Shun knew, he was struck to the ground with what seemed like a huge log. When he finally came to, he was still in the clearing, thousands of stars twinkling in the bright sky above him. He shifted to lie on his back, groaning at the bruise on his stomach. His shoulders trembled as he stared at the night sky. It was unfair; all those stars seemed to be mocking him. Amid quivering lips he let out a small laugh... After all, sobbing wasn't exactly his forte. So instead, he laughed out loud; a string of laughter soaked thoroughly in misery- and perhaps a lingering hint of disbelief.

He laughed into the night like a deranged maniac. And if asked, he would never acknowledge the lone tear that trailed down his cheek.

Trust? Faith? Love? Never again...

***~~X~~***

The next day Shun literally staked out Alice's University gate in all the glory of an enraged stalker. He saw her go in with a few friends of hers, with that same smile plastered on her face, as if it were just another irrelevant day to her. That only fuelled his rage. So much so that he walked right up to her, took hold of her hand and yanked her to a stop.

Her friends seemed conflicted whether to swoon at that perfectly chiseled face to feel threatened at the fury that radiated from his aura into the dead silence.

It was Alice who spoke up first. "What do you want?"

"We need to talk, **now**."

"I have classes." she stated plainly, her voice unnaturally low.

"As if I even care." he muttered through gritted teeth as he started forcibly dragging her away.

Alice briefly turned to her friends and softly shook her head from side to side, letting them know that she would be alright.

Shun led her to a fairly deserted area somewhere along the university's outside walls. With his hand still secured in a death grip around her wrist he whirled around to face her. "I demand an explanation." he thundered.

"What for, exactly?"

"Don't play dumb."

She shrugged lightly, half concentrating on her efforts to wriggle her hand out of his. "It should be pretty obvious by now." she spoke, her voice faltering ever so slightly. "I only pretended to go out with you so that I could thieve you in the end."

"Since when did they 'take you under their wing'?"

"Since the very beginning." she lied, staring into his burning golden orbs.

"But **I** was the one who came to **you **in Japan! I'm the one who wanted to reclaim my fiancée so-"

"Yes, it was because of that 'obsession' that they decided to approach me. And of course, I went with the most beneficial option..." she muttered almost mechanically. That's right; she'd spent all of last night, rehearsing this explanation countless times; again and again until she was able to speak without a single tear on her cheek and a single inconsistency in her trained, level voice.

"What about all fuss you kicked up coz of that 'first kiss'?"

"An act."

"And all that 'Don't worry, you're not alone' talk?"

"An act."

"The confession on that rainy day?"

"An act."

Only as he spoke to her did he realize how truly hung up he'd been. And he started to think that it had indeed been this pseudo obsession that had blinded his better judgment.

"So, all those tears you shed and all those smiles..."

"Don't you get it!" Alice exclaimed, her voice rising to a shrill note. "They were all lies! Nothing but an act!"

Shun studied her from head to toe for the umpteenth time that day. "You're really a sly, heartless b****, aren't you?"

"Well, you should've realized that yesterday."

"Well, your sweet mother must be rolling over in her grave, having to witness the level to which her daughter has sunken to."

"Don't you bring my mother into this." she warned, eyes narrowed to slits.

"Oh! Forgive me! You were only after the money. Her head must be swelling with pride right about now." he spat with vehement sarcasm.

"You are not entitled to judge me!"

"And why the heck not?" he demanded, proceeding closer to her. "I'm the one whose money you worked on extracting for those worthless scums... I can judge all I want."

"..."

"Well, since 'love' was never part of the equation, I guess money and assets are more important to you," As he spoke, his expression darkened. He leaned closer, taking her chin between his hands, his voice lowering to a dangerous level of coldness she'd never heard before. "Then does that mean this body of yours is on sale? After all, I still have more money."

"Unhand me!" she exclaimed in horror, thrashing his hands away, her forced composure having dissipated completely. "Don't be so cheap."

"Says you, the untainted little sincere angel... Which was really your first kiss, Alice? Was it shared with that 'handsome' old uncle of mine?" he spoke, every one of his words a carefully calculated poison coated dagger. Seeing her expression, he knew just what to say to break her.

'Don't you dare..." she whispered, her sight clouded by tears.

"Did the kiss taste as putrid as those yellow teeth of his?"

"Don't..."

"Tell me, do you use those methods you call 'cheap' on a fairly regular basis?"

"You..."

"Is he your sugar-daddy or are you his mistress? Which one is it?"

"Dare!" she yelled, her voice shrill, her shoulders heaving as she breathed heavily. The tears finally found their way down her cheeks as she stared at him in a mixture of incredulity and hurt.

But Shun was past everything... He stared at her nonchalantly. Sure, there was that miniscule part of him that still quivered at that offended look, but no more faltering. "This reaction...Does that mean you're 'in love'! Ha! I never knew you had a fetish for wrinkly old prunes."

"That's enough!" It was plain to see from her trembling lips and eyebrows that she had been pushed to her limit.

His lips give way to a wide smirk. "But, I still have more theories, Alice! Please hear them through."

"You want to know why I did it?!" she shrieked, more hot tears rolling down her cheeks. "Because-" she froze for a few seconds. Why was she always so stupid? She always seemed to be walking into traps and the finding herself unable to escape. But this time, she wouldn't... She had to make sure that everything she'd done so far wouldn't go to waste. "Because you're a freaking jerk!"

"Say that again."

"Because you're a jerk!"

"Oh? Well, isn't that fascinating... You turned into the b**** of b****es because I was a 'jerk'? This has to be the most convincingly daft excuse on this side of the galaxy."

"..."  
>"Say something..."<p>

"..."

"What happened to that smart-ass mouth of yours?"

"Jerk..." she muttered before turning tail and proceeding to run. But Shun had taken hold of her collar and yanked her to a stop. "L..let go..." she cried, the collar half-strangling her in the process.

Shun tugged harder and brought her closer to him. "Why don't I show you just how much of a jerk I can be." he whispered, lifting her off the ground by the piece of cloth in his hand. He was beyond enrages, the acidic after-taste of having being betrayed was wrecking havoc within his entire existence.

Alice's heart dropped to the pit of her stomach as the ground below her feet disappeared. "Ka.-"

"Don't worry..." he whispered. "I won't kill you, little one. I just want you to experience this feeling of suffocation...for just a little while. Feel it burning you, all the suffocation those people have been causing me all my life,

When she heard those words of his strangely enough she stopped struggling against his grip, stopped thrashing her legs and just...surrendered.

Thoroughly surprised by her resistance, Shun was just about to-

"What the hell do you think you're doing!" came a voice from their right. It was Joe. Apparently Alice's friends had told him and he'd just come to check on her. "Let her go!"

Shun's golden eyes narrowed in annoyance and in the very next second he hurled her in Joe's direction.

"Woah, you idiot!" exclaimed Joe as he rushed forwards just in time to gather Alice in his arms. When he raised his gaze again, Shun was nowhere to be seen. "He's gone..."

Alice coughed as her lungs struggled to compensate her lack of air and her strangled sobs were only making matters worse.

"Sshhh...It's okay... Calm down..." comforted Joe as he patted Alice's back lightly.

After Alice seemed to have visibly calmed down he decided it would be safe to address the situation. "Why did that jerk do that? Isn't he your boyfriend?"

Alice shook her head from side to side. "It's not...his fault... I did something unforgiveable."

Joe stared at her incredulously. "What in the world could be so unforgiveable that he'd half-strangle you!" he demanded.

"It's..."

"Even this, is his doing!" exclaimed Joe, lightly traced the red fingerprints on Alice's pale wrist. "What-"

Alice placed her finger to his lips, her tired eyes appealing him to not venture any further. "I'll tell you, tomorrow... Promise."

Joe sighed in exasperation. "You're incorrigible, you know... Your punishment- today you aren't allowed out of my sight, understand?"

She nodded silently, finding no strength within herself to resist.

Joe stared apologetically as Alice half limped to the university; her legs were still numb from shock. He took her hand a gently supported her. "You know, I wish I could carry you all the way... But lately I've been feeling a bit light-headed for some reason."

"I'm sorry." she muttered.

"No it isn't because I was worrying."

"I'm sorry."

"It wasn't that desk accident either. The doctor said that it healed almost miraculously!" he informed, trying to sound like his cheery self.

"I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault."

Alice forced the weakest smile in the history of weak smiles as they continued walking. "But...it is my fault." She muttered under her breath.

"Huh? What's that?"

She shook her head from side to side. "You'll get better, I promise."

He chuckled slightly, petting her hair. "Looks like you're a bit air-headed right now."

"Yeah, probably."

**Chapter End**

I'm facing extreme writer's block. **So, anyone interested in partnering my lame vampire story? 'Yet Another Tale Of VampirexHuman'? **I'm officially lost... And it's been abandoned for months now... If you are, contact me coz I'm not really sure what myself mean by 'partnering'. We could iron out the details perhaps?

And 'Vezarius Inferno' I'm hoping to continue myself (God knows when)

**Thanks for reading, Love y'all for not deserting me...yet. Tell me what you think will happen, and guess Alice's motive if you want. :D**

**Review please! Thankyou~**


End file.
